Temasek, which bought a 12 percent stake in ABC last May at A$7.30 a share, picked up nearly 12 million extra shares, mainly in February, paying between A$4.20 and A$2.14 a share, it said in a statement to the Australian stock exchange.

Shares in ABC, which operates 2,200 childcare centres mostly in Australia and the United States, fell nearly 70 percent on Tuesday to a low of A$1.15 when it was hit by the forced sale of shares by its founders and another director due to margin calls.

Temasek said its purchases included a parcel of 8 million shares on Tuesday at A$2.14 a share.

ABC is on a trading halt after telling the stock exchange it is has received expressions of interest in part of its business.

The stock last traded at A$2.14 a share.

Reporting by Richard Pullin

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