FILE PHOTO - The company logo of Minmetals Resources is displayed outside its headquarters in Hong Kong April 26, 2011. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China Minmetals Corp and China National Gold Group are unaware of any merger talks between the two companies, their listed units said on Wednesday, after a Reuters report on a possible deal caused a rally in their shares.

Sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday that China was considering a merger between the two major metals and mining firms as Beijing pushed to consolidate its bloated state-run enterprises to help increase efficiency and competitiveness.

“After checking with the company’s owner China Minmetals Group, the group said it was not aware of a merger deal and had not been notified by relevant authorities on the matter,” the listed units said in similar statements.

The China Minmetals' subsidiaries that issued statements include China Minmetals Rare Earth Co Ltd 000831.SZ, China Tungsten And Hightech Materials Co Ltd 000657.SZ, Minmetals Development Co Ltd 600058.SS, Minmetals Capital Co Ltd 600390.SS and Zhuzhou Smelter Group Co Ltd 600961.SS.

On Wednesday, the five listed companies’ shares ended up between 4.6 percent and 10 percent.

China National Gold's unit Zhongjin Gold Corp Ltd 600489.SS, whose stock rose 6 percent, also issued similar comments.