SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese Internet firm Alibaba Group is in talks with existing shareholders, including Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings, to raise about $2.3 billion in equity to partly finance its deal with Yahoo Inc., two sources said.
Entrepreneur Jack Ma is buying back up to half of a 40 percent stake in his Alibaba Group from Yahoo for $7.1 billion, in a deal that moves the Chinese e-commerce leader closer to a public listing.
Alibaba is looking to raise about a third of the $7.1 billion through issuance of equity to shareholders, one of the sources told Reuters.
A second source also confirmed the talks, but said Temasek has not made a final decision on the investment.
Alibaba was not immediately available to comment and a Temasek spokesman declined to comment.
Temasek bought Alibaba Group shares from the Chinese company's employees in September 2011 in a tender offer in which DST Global, Silver Lake and Yunfeng Capital also participated.
(Reporting by Saeed Azhar and Denny Thomas; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)