Amazon strikes a blow at Reliance-Future deal

ASingapore arbitration panel has put on hold Future Group’s $3.38 billion asset sale to Reliance Industries, an interim win for Amazon.com Inc which had alleged the deal between the Indian firms breached some existing agreements.
Amazon received an emergency order to halt the companies from proceeding with the deal until an arbitration tribunal is formed, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Amazon last year bought a 49% stake in Future Coupons Ltd, which owns a 7.3% stake in Future Retail. In August, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance decided to buy retail, wholesale and some other businesses of the Future Group in a deal valued at $3.38 billion, including debt.
But Amazon’s investment came with contractual rights that include a right of first refusal and a non-compete-like pact, media had reported, and Amazon later started arbitration proceedings in Singapore.
“It’s a comprehensive victory for Amazon,” a source with direct knowledge of the decision said. “They’ve won an injunction to stop the deal.”