Renault-Nissan Alliance Denies Talks to Buy Out French State

  • French carmaker’s shares pare gains of as much as 13%
  • ‘I don’t select my shareholders,’ Ghosn said in interview

Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

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The Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. alliance denied a report that the companies are in talks to buy the French state out of its holding in the nation’s automaker in a step toward a possible merger.

“Any discussion about a share transaction involving Renault, Nissan or the French state is pure speculation,” Jonathan Adashek, a spokesman for the alliance, said in an email. Renault pared gains after spiking as much 13 percent following a Reuters report -- also denied by a French finance ministry official -- of talks with Nissan and government officials about the Japanese automaker purchasing most of the French state’s 15 percent stake.