In what promises to cause considerable political embarrassment to the French government given its horror that Fujitsu Ltd should be allowed to buy 80% of ICL Plc, NEC Corp has confirmed in Tokyo that Compagnie des Machines Bull SA has asked it to take a 10% stake in itself. It seems certain that any deal will involve NEC swapping its 15% of Bull HN Information Systems Inc for shares in the parent, but French government strictures that any such investment must include new cash for the company implies that the 15% will convert to about 5%, with NEC paying cash for the other 5%.
