Handelsbanken receives permission from Finansinspektionen to acquire Midtbank

Handelsbanken receives permission from Finansinspektionen to acquire Midtbank As reported in our press release dated 11 April, Handelsbanken has made a cash offer of approximately SEK 2 500 million for all of the shares in Midtbank AS in Denmark. The offer is conditional among other things on Handelsbanken receiving permission from Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority). Permission has now been granted. Consequently, the acquisition of a portion of the shares in Midtbank, as mentioned in the press release dated 11 April, has gone through as planned. Handelsbanken now owns 9.8 percent of the shares and voting power in Midtbank. For further information, please contact: Lars Lindmark, Corporate Communications, tel: +46 8 701 1036 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/04/12/20010412BIT00200/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/04/12/20010412BIT00200/bit0001.pdf