Turkey: Universal Hospitals group talking to four buyers - Deal to sell less than 50 percent

Turkey's Universal Hospitals Group, one of the country's largest healthcare services groups, is close to a deal to sell a significant stake to a foreign investor, its financial adviser told Reuters on Thursday.

Universal Hospitals is in talks with four foreign financial groups on a partnership and may sign a deal in February, Okan Altug, a senior executive of Daruma Corporate Finance, said.

Mergers and acquisitions amounted to $29 billion in 2010 in Turkey, according to a report by Deloitte. And international investor interest in the Turkish healthcare sector is growing.

INVESTMENT - QIFB - Qatar bank's unit seeking key deals in Turkey

Qatar First Investment Bank's (QFIB) private equity arm hopes to close a second deal in Turkey and is working on two other transactions in its home market, deputy chief executive Emad Mansour said yesterday.

Privately owned QFIB announced last week that it had acquired a 40 per cent stake in Turkey's second-largest healthcare provider, Memorial Health Group, in a joint venture with London-based private equity house Argus Capital.