08:56 AM EDT, 03/24/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group ( SMFG ) has no immediate plans to acquire Jefferies (JEF), Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Bloomberg report came after after a report by the Financial Times, citing unnamed sources, suggested the Japanese lender was preparing for a possible takeover.

The unnamed sources told Bloomberg that the executives are not engaged in active acquisition talks and remain mindful of regulatory hurdles that could complicate deeper integration.

JEF shares, down about 38% this year, rose as much as 8.5% in Tuesday premarket.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)