Indonesian conglomerate Astra International and British lender Standard Chartered each owned 45 percent of Permata as of end-2015, according to Thomson Reuters data. A Standard Chartered spokeswoman in Singapore said it was inappropriate to comment on "market rumours". Permata declined to comment and Astra did not provide any immediate comment. Banking sources said they have not heard of a sale process underway for Permata by Standard Chartered, which also operates a separate banking branch in the Southeast Asian country. Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters told analysts in February the bank was in discussions with its joint venture partner and regulators on the opportunities to merge its branch with Permata. If this did not work the bank could contemplate selling either of the two, but it would not exit Indonesia, he said. Standard Chartered saw its 2015 annual profit fall 84 percent, as weaker global financial markets, tumbling commodity prices and rising loan impairments continued to hammer revenues at the emerging markets-focused bank. Reuters
shares of Bank Permata rose 20 % due to speculation that Bank Negara Indonesia ( BNI ) may have a stake in the bank ; Standard Chartered and Astra International each own 45 % of Bank Permata , as of the end of last year . Permata has declined to comment on the rumours .