European Press Roundup: Vonovia Faces Expropriation Debate, Sacyr Denies Contract-Rigging

In Europe today, trade tensions continue despite news that a U.S.-China trade truce could be close, while in the top business story, Publicis shares rose on the advertising giant's solid first-quarter figures and news that it will buy Epsilon for $4.4 billion. Read about the above topics on Dow Jones Newswires or WSJ.com.

In Other Media...

Vonovia is facing questions from shareholders regarding the debate on expropriation currently simmering in Germany. Talk of potentially expropriating residential real-estate companies comes amid rising rents in German cities, particularly Berlin. "My feeling is we're conducting a debate about an idea that we know cannot work," says Vonovia CFO Helene von Roeder. -Boersen-Zeitung

Spanish contractor Sacyr hits back at the country's competition watchdog for issuing a EUR762,000 fine to its Neopul subsidiary. The regulator imposed the fine on Neopul for operating in a cartel with 14 other companies to rig rail-infrastructure contracts. Sacyr denies any involvement and accuses the regulator of having unjustly damaged the company's reputation. -Expansion

Property investment company Green REIT said Monday that it appointed JP Morgan Cazenove to initiate a process for the sale of the company or its portfolio of assets. The move comes as the company's chairman says its share price has been "subject to a material and persistent structural discount to its net asset value per share for over three years now." -The Irish Times

Rossmann, Germany's second-largest drugstore chain, is ending its partnership with Amazon after two years, citing a lack of customer demand for the "ultra-fast delivery services" Amazon provides. Rossmann says its customers prefer going to store in person and are against paying a surcharge to have products delivered to their office. -SZ

Fiat Chrysler should close the sale of its auto parts unit Magneti Marelli to Calsonic Kansei by the first days of May. A shareholder meeting will be called after the announcement of the closing to approve the payment of an extraordinary dividend. -Il Sole 24 Ore

French utilities company EDF will discuss renationalizing, at least partially, the state-controlled company's nuclear activities during a board meeting on May 28. -Le Parisien

The Malacalza family wants to maintain an interest in troubled Italian lender Banca Carige, even with a reduced stake. -La Repubblica

The U.K. government's Department for International Development has been asked for technical assistance from China, which wants to change the way it lends to poor countries. Beijing has signed a memorandum of understanding with eight development banks to establish a center for technical expertise and has invited the U.K. to join. -The Times

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 15, 2019 08:08 ET (12:08 GMT)

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