ABN AMRO stock market flotation looks promising. - The Dutch privatisation agency overseeing the stock market flotation of ABN Amro, nationalised in 2008 following the crisis, chose eight merchant banks at the end of August to ensure ABM's successful stock market flotation. The banks include Barclays, Citigroup, JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch, which will be active on the international markets, while ING and Rabobank will be supervising the situation on the Dutch market. RBC Europe and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods will also be taking part in the flotation. The Dutch bank is expected to become a quoted company on the stock market this autumn. Between 20% and 30% of its capital will be sold and is expected to attract investors. The privatisation operation appears promising given that the bank's net profits increased by 63% over the first half of 2015 to €1.14 billion, to achieve an operational result of €1.8 billion (+15%). The net banking product increased by 10% to €4.3 billion. Thanks to these good results, ABN Amro is planning to pay out 40% of its annual profits to its shareholders in the form of dividends. The bank has benefited from the healthy state of the Dutch economy, where growth is expected to reach 2% in 2015, according to the Dutch Central Bank. (Isabelle Lamberty)