preparing an announcement

1139 [Dow Jones] Centro Properties (CNP.AU) slips as much as 23% after newspaper report that a CNP executive met with Australia's securities regulator. The Australian newspaper Thursday cites a journalist in lobby of ASIC office who overheard a lawyer advising the executive and speculates the regulator may be investigating CNP's failure to account for more than A$1 billion of debt in its FY07 accounts. An ASIC spokeswoman declined to comment, while a CNP spokesman said he was preparing a statement. Shares in CNP, which is struggling to refinance A$3.9 billion in debt, have dropped 93% since Dec. 17 when it informed the market. CNP last trade down 16% to 94 cents, Centro Retail (CER.AU), a property trust managed by CNP, down 12% to 68. (ABH