stickers--okay--opened at 6.72, page-7

the 6.60--level from august Reuters Finance News, Australia

Computershare falls on private equity sale talk

Friday August 26, 2005, 1:12 pm



SYDNEY, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Computershare Ltd. (ASX: CPU.ax) , the world's top share registry firm, fell as much as 3.6 percent on Friday on market talk that a large private equity fund sold part of its holding in the firm in a deal worth about A$132 million ($100 million).

Dealers and analysts said U.S.-based General Atlantic Partners was the likely seller. General Atlantic could not be reached for a comment.

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A source closed to the transaction told Reuters that 20 million shares, or 3.4 percent, of Computershare were traded in a single deal at A$6.60 a share.The stock was picked up by various funds. He declined to name the buyers or the sellers.

Computershare was the third-most active stock, with volume of about 22 million shares. Its shares were down about 2.2 percent by early afternoon.

Reuters data showed that General Atlantic Partners held 38 million shares, or 6.4 percent of Computershare in December 2004.

Computershare's stock touched a four-year high on Thursday at A$7.04 after it last week reported a 27 percent jump in annual profit and said it was targetting earnings growth of more than 20 percent this year. ($1=A$1.32)