China is reported to have blocked SoftBank Group’s proposed acquisition of ABB’s robotics division, a deal valued at about $5.4 billion, according to the Financial Times and relayed by other outlets. Bloomberg also reports the FT’s account, saying the decision is based on information from unidentified sources.
The reported ABB unit is described as oriented toward the Chinese market and operating a major manufacturing presence in Pudong. Outlets’ coverage largely centers on the fact of the blockage and the deal size, while offering limited additional detail beyond the FT’s framing and the unit’s China-linked footprint.
