Flight Home

Spanish state holding company SEPI is trying to persuade reluctant Spanish banks to raise Spain's 5.4% stake in Airbus parent EADS to around 10%.

But the banks to which SEPI chairman Enrique Martinez Robles has spoken are reported to have given a lukewarm reaction, citing the high share price of the European aerospace and defence giant.

SEPI holds a stake of just over 5% in EADS and local investors hold about 2% through the Madrid stock exchange.

SEPI says: "The raising of SEPI's participation remains one of our main priorities."

The Spanish state has made no secret of its desire to double its stake – another 5% share would cost around €900 million ($1.2 billion) – although heavyweight German and French shareholder interests, which hold 60% of the business between them, are understood to want to see any Spanish increase achieved with private rather than public money.

Spain sees a doubling of its stake as the main means of increasing EADS's research spending in the country. The nation also wants more influence and to guarantee a greater workshare on new aircraft programmes.

EADS has indicated that Spain's stake in the proposed Airbus A350 project would be closer to 5%, in contrast to the 10% Spain secured on the A380.

AIMEE TURNER/LONDON