Arab Tunisian Bank to increase capital - bourse

TUNIS, May 9 (Reuters) - Tunisia's private Arab Tunisian Bank ATB.TN plans to launch a two-stage capital increase worth 40 million dinars ($33.57 million), the Tunis bourse said on Friday.

The first tranche is due to open this year to raise 20 million dinars and increase the bank's capital to 80 million dinars from 60 million dinars currently.

The second tranche will be launched in 2010 to expand the capital to 100 million dinars, the stock exchange said in a statement on its Web site.

Shareholders are due to approve the move at an extraordinary meeting in the near future, the bourse said, without giving a date. ATB shares were down 0.92 percent at 6.4 dinars on Friday. The Tunis index .TUNINDEX has risen 16 percent so far this year. (Reporting by Sonia Ounissi; Editing by Sue Thomas)