SYDNEY, July 17 (Reuters) - Macquarie Group MQG.AX , U.S. private equity giant Carlyle CG.O and China's HNA Group HNAIRC.UL are among the bidders shortlisted for ANZ Banking Group's ANZ.AX $6 billion-plus car and equipment loan book, five sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Friday.
The deal, the second major sale of a finance portfolio in Australia after General Electric's GE.N $7 billion consumer lending book in March, comes at a time when Australian banks are facing pressure to lift capital ratios under stricter regulations. ID:nL4N0ZT05N
Private equity buyout firm KKR & Co KKR.N bidding with Varde Partners, as well as a group comprising TPG TPG.UL and Blackstone BX.N failed to make it to the next round, three of the sources added. Final bids are expected by end-August. (Reporting Swati Pandey and Sharon Klyne; Additional reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Stephen Coates)