Indian retailer Future's shares surge as regulator approves Amazon investment

Shares in Future Retail Ltd surged 13per cent on Friday, after India's antitrust body approved a deal that would give Amazon.com Inc a minority stake in one of the country's top retail groups.

BENGALURU: Shares in Future Retail Ltd surged 13per cent on Friday, after India's antitrust body approved a deal that would give Amazon.com Inc a minority stake in one of the country's top retail groups.

Future Retail in August announced the deal that would result in the U.S. online retail giant acquiring a 3.58per cent stake in the company, which runs over 1,500 stores in India and owns budget department store chain Big Bazaar.

The companies had not disclosed the value of the deal, which would help Amazon push deeper into India's booming retail market.

In a brief statement on Thursday, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it had approved Amazon's purchase of a 49per cent stake in Future Coupons Ltd, an entity that owns about 7.3per cent of Future Retail, adding that it would soon provide a detailed order.

Reuters reported early this month that the CCI had sought more information from Amazon about the planned transaction.

Last year, Amazon and Indian private equity firm Samara Capital announced a joint investment in an entity that would give Amazon a stake in local supermarket chain More.

The Seattle-headquartered firm also owns a stake in Indian department store chain Shopper's Stop.

Shares in Future Retail were higher by 13.8per cent by 10 a.m. in Mumbai. Shares in other Future Group companies - Future Enterprises Ltd, Future Consumer Ltd and Future Lifestyle Fashions Ltd - were higher by 2per cent to 16per cent.

The Economic Times reported in August that the deal pegged Future Retail's value at close to US$6 billion, more than double its then market capitalization of US$2.9 billion.

(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)