Orient says merger talk idle gossip

Orient Overseas (International) has denied mainland-backed shipping group Cosco has had merger or acquisition talks with the company.

Chief financial officer Harry Wilkinson said the matter had apparently originated from a rumour on the New York stock market on a slow day of trading.

'We are a public company and if somebody is interested in us and presents us with an offer, we would look at it,' he said after the company's annual general meeting.