They haven’t told SGS-Thomson Microelectronics NV, which says it knows of no plans to alter its share register, but according to Reuter, France and Italy’s Industry Ministers have agreed to reduce their countries’ 70% stake in the chipmaker in a concerted way so as to keep a joint majority stake, a source close the French industry ministry said. They stressed it was of strategic importance to have a stake, that the French and Ital- ian interests needed to be at parity, but also that it was not neces- sary to keep the stakes at the same level as now, the source noted.
