Private Placements By Acquisition Targets - Another Regulatory Grey Area

On November 28, 2012, the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) issued the reasons for the decision it had made following a hearing to consider an application made by Inmet Mining Corporation for certain relief in connection with its hostile take-over bid for Petaquilla Minerals Ltd. The hearing had concluded with an unsurprising order to the effect that Petaquilla's shareholder rights plan would be cease traded on a specified date unless Petaquilla waived the plan as against Inmet's bid. What was less predictable was that the BCSC also cease traded a proposed private placement note financing by Petaquilla, unless Inmet did not purchase any Petaquilla shares under its bid.

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