An unsourced business column in El Universal said that consumer voucher card business Prestaciones Universales is expected to be sold on November 26, 2008 (today), according to a Debtwire report.  The column said that Mexico-based brokerage house IXE is conducting the sale and noted speculation that Mexican retailers Gigante and Soriana are possible buyers.  The column also speculated that the sale had been “induced” and that IXE rejected participation by possible suitors Efectivale, Accor, and Arrosa.

An earlier Debtwire report said that Grupo Chapa was seeking to acquire all of Prestaciones Universales and that Grupo Chapa’s acquisition goals might contradict the plans of Mexico’s antitrust authorities to divest the monopoly represented by Prestaciones Universales’ current shareholders.  The business, according to Debtwire, is currently owned by a consortium, the members of which are also shareholders of Wal-Mart de Mexico, Soriana, Comercial Mexicana, Chedraui and 7-Eleven’s Mexico-based operation, a joint venture between Grupo Chapa and Dallas, Texas-based 7-Eleven, which has more than 810 stores.