The US Lone Star fund, the company favoured by the Bank of Portugal to buy and manage Novo Banco, has invited a group of leading Portuguese companies to invest in the bank.
Amorim, Sonae, Jerónimo Martins and the Violas group all have received a formal invitation to join the vulture fund, if it successfully secures Novo Banco, and take up blocs of shares in the loss-making Novo Banco.