UPDATE 2-Malaysia's Maybank signals major acquisition

(Adds timing of announcement, broker comment)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Reuters) - Malaysia's largest lender, Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) (MBBM.KL: Quote, Profile, Research), plans to announce a major acquisition on Monday amid speculation it wants to buy a strategic stake in Pakistan's MCB Bank (MCB.KA: Quote, Profile, Research).

Maybank, which last month declined to comment on a newspaper report that it was in talks to buy into MCB, suspended dealing in its shares until the close of Malaysian trading on Monday.

The announcement is due on Monday, a banking source added.

MCB is Pakistan's largest bank in terms of market value and is worth around $4 billion. Pakistan's strong-performing banking sector ranks among the world's most profitable after five years of financial reform, economic growth and rising incomes.

MCB shares were up 2 percent at 423.37 rupees in afternoon trade on the Karachi Stock Exchange, while Maybank shares last traded at 8 ringgit.

Maybank has lost 13 percent of its value so far this year.

One dealer at a Malaysian brokerage said Maybank was set to make an acquisition in Pakistan, despite facing criticism over paying too much for a stake in an Indonesian bank in March.

Maybank shares were sold down heavily after it agreed to buy Indonesia's sixth-largest bank, Bank Internasional Indonesia, for a steep 4.6 times book value.