CAIRO: Egypt's EFG Hermes investment bank announced on Tuesday it had completed its purchase of 65 percent in Lebanon's Credit Libanais in a deal worth $542 million. The investment bank has been pushing forward on ambitious plans to increase its capital in recent years and has found a home in Lebanon. According to a statement from the Cairo-based investment bank, EFG Hermes said the deal also includes an option to buy an additional 25 percent stake at the same price over the next two years. The bank has been working to expand its regional assets and in January sold its stake in Lebanon's Bank Audi for $918 million in an effort to diversify its investments across the region. The selling of Bank Audi came after an unsuccessful attempt to bolster its stake in the bank. Credit Libanais recorded net income of $58.8 million for the nine-month period ending in September. BM