SBI likely to sell up to Rs 15,000-crore shares by end April

State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender by assets, plans to raise between Rs 11,000 crore and 15,000 crore ($1.8-$2.4 billion) via share sale by April-end, two sources directly involved in the process told Reuters.

The marketing roadshows for the share sale will begin next week, said the sources, who spoke on conditions of anonymity as the details of the offering are not public yet.

Senior SBI officials were not immediately available for comment.

SBI received shareholders approval to raise up to Rs 15,000 crore last week, as part of its efforts to strengthen its balance sheet on hopes of a pick up in loan demand in the economy.

The share sale in the state-run lender would happen via the "fast track" follow-on offering route, said the sources. Under the fast track process, select large companies are exempted from complying with the market regulator's disclosure and filing requirements.

SBI has selected eight investment banks including Axis Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, JM Financial, and Kotak Mahindra Capital to advise on the sale.

(Reuters)