[1/2] The entry to the Home Capital Group's headquarters is seen at an office tower in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 1, 2017. REUTERS/Chris HelgrenTORONTO, April 4 (Reuters) - Canada's antitrust regulator said on Tuesday it is reviewing the potential acquisition of Canadian lender Home Capital Group Inc (HCG.TO) by privately held peer Smith Financial Corp."I can confirm that the Competition Bureau is reviewing the potential acquisition of Home Capital Group by Smith Financial Corporation," a spokesperson for the regulator said in an email to Reuters. Home Capital and Smith Financial were unavailable to immediately provide comment. Home Capital, rescued by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) five years ago, announced in November it would be taken private by Smith Financial in a C$1.7 billion ($1.27 billion) deal. Smith Financial is controlled by Stephen Smith, the co-founder of Home Capital's larger rival First National Financial Corp (FN.TO) and a top shareholder of lender EQB Inc (EQB.TO).

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