Carlyle Group and TPG Capital are in early talks to launch a joint bid for a $1.5 billion stake in Malaysian lender RHB Capital , three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank owns the stake and has hired Goldman Sachs and Bank of America-Merrill Lynch to run the auction. Carlyle and TPG have engaged an investment bank to advise them on the potential offer, said the sources, who declined to be named because the discussions were private. Like any auction, the consortium could advance with a bid or pull out after due diligence. The auction has attracted other private equity firms as well, sources say, as the holding offers a chance to tap into Malaysia's growing economy. A joint bid is logical as it's a big equity cheque for a buyout firm bidding on its own. Carlyle and TPG were not immediately available for comment.
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