S&P puts Israeli Partner on CreditWatch "developing"

JERUSALEM, July 14 (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's Maalot said on Tuesday it moved Partner Communications (PTNR.TA) (PTNR.O) to CreditWatch "developing" from "positive", after Hutchison Telecommunications International (2332.HK) said it might sell its stake in the mobile operator.

"A possible change in Partner's ownership structure could have an impact on the company's financial structure and as a result also on its financial risk profile," the Israeli S&P unit said in a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Partner is Israel's second-largest mobile phone operator.

Hutchison, the telecoms arm of Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa (0013.HK), said last week it had invited bids for its 51 percent stake in Partner. [ID:nHKG85629]

Israel's Scailex Corp (SCIX.TA) is among those interested in Partner, which has been on S&P's CreditWatch "positive" list since March. (Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by David Holmes)