Criteria CaixaCorp’s holding in The Bank of (BEA) is set to reach 8.89%

Criteria CaixaCorp has undertaken to increase its holding in BEA, which currently stands at 4.34%, to 8.89% via a capital increase.

BEA has over 30 billion euros in assets, more than 200 offices and 8,900 employees. It is the largest independent private bank in and one of the best-placed foreign banks in China, where it has more than 50 offices.

Barcelona, December 27 2007.

Criteria CaixaCorp will raise its holding in The (BEA) to 8.89% of new share capital. Criteria CaixaCorp will increase its stake by subscribing alone the entire capital increase which BEA will issue for 3,954 million Hong Kong dollars (equivalent to approximately 352 million euros).

Criteria CaixaCorp has been acquiring shares in the bank throughout 2007, and has raised its stake to 4.34%. This is the first acquisition Criteria CaixaCorp has made in the Asian market.

Founded in Hong Kong in 1918, BEA offers retail, corporate and services to its clients in Hong Kong, China and other countries. BEA is the largest independent local bank in Hong Kong, with around 43.9 billion dollars in consolidated assets at June 30 2007. The bank is listed on the . BEA shall apply the proceeds from the subscription to its expansion in China and to attend general working capital needs.

BEA currently has more than 200 offices around the world, including 130 branches in Hong Kong, 50 in China and a wide international network covering the United States, Canada, the UK, the British Virgin Islands and countries in Southeast Asia.

In order to perform this operation, the pertinent authorisations have been obtained, so it can raise the holding to over 5%. The investment will be made in the next few days, once the new shares obtain admission to trading on the .

This operation forms part of CaixaCorp's international expansion strategy which, following its listing on the stock exchange on 10 October, focuses on markets in Asia, Eastern Europe and the US.

Criteria CaixaCorp manages a portfolio of more than 27 billion euros in holdings, both listed and unlisted, in benchmark companies in the infrastructure and services, banking and finance industries, which has generated an individual profit of 2,245 million euros up to 30 November.