Sampo

Sampo, Finland’s largest insurer, has said its year 2000 result will be swollen by E318m (US$290mn) in dividends from the sale of its Pohjola shares to fellow Finish insurer Ilmarinen ( this issue, page 1 ). Sampo purchased its Pohjola shares in October for €60 per share. It has benefited from Pohjola’s policy of selling assets and channelling profits to shareholders in the form of dividends.