Two Nordic buyout firms have bought Sweden's Carnegie Investment Bank and affiliated insurer Max Matthiessen from state ownership for at least Skr2.2bn (€214m), in one of the first buyouts from government since the credit crunch began.

Nordic buyout firms Altor Equity Partners and Bure Equity paid Skr1.4bn for Carnegie with a promise to pay at least Skr250m dependent on the performance of certain credit positions owned by the 250-year-old investment bank.