Standard&Poor's said today that Bank of East Asia's (BEA, BBB+/Stable/A-2) acquisition of Grand National Bank, a retail bank based in Alhambra, U.S., will not have an impact on the current ratings on BEA. The acquisition of Grand National Bank, which had assets of US$139.9 million at June 30, 2001, is a continuation of BEA's strategy of building up its operations on the U.S. west coast. The acquisition will not have a material impact on BEA's financial profile.