AIG to sell AIA shares after lock-up ends in Sept.

(Reuters)—Bailed-out insurer American International Group Inc. will sell its shares in Asian insurer AIA Group Ltd. after a lock-up period expires in early September, CEO Bob Benmosche said on Wednesday.

Mr. Benmosche said the shares "will be liquidated after Sept. 4," according to a transcript of AIG's annual shareholder meeting on its website. He said the sale would help decrease volatility in AIG's earnings.

AIG spun off two-thirds of AIA in 2010 as part of a package of asset sales to repay its $182 billion U.S. government rescue. Fluctuations in AIA's share price have caused large swings in AIG's earnings since then, with quarterly gains or losses of more than $1 billion commonplace.

AIG sold part of the stake in March, raising around $6 billion and leaving it with 18.6% of AIA, one of Asia's three largest insurers.

Since that sale, which included the lock-up provision, AIA shares have fallen 2.8%. At current levels the remaining stake is worth $7.6 billion.