* FY loss 1 bln eur vs 467 million last year
* Shares off 7 percent after drop of over 14 percent
* Cites weak auto sector; may expand into financial services
* Has 447.7 million euros of cash available to invest
* No comment on Opel, analysts doubtful of takeover bid
(Adds CEO comments, updates share price)
By Anne Jolis
BRUSSELS, July 1 (Reuters) - RHJ International posted a sharply wider full-year loss and a 43 percent fall in the value of its portfolio, sparking fresh doubts about the holding company's bid for General Motors unit Opel.
Stock in the Belgian firm -- which GM has named as a rival Opel suitor to Canada's Magna -- fell more than 14 percent early and were down 7.03 percent at 4.23 euros per share at 0445 GMT after reporting late on Tuesday that its losses had more than doubled to 1 billion euros ($1.41 billion).
"RHJ can't acquire a majority stake or a large minority in Opel, because they simply don't have the cash -- RHJ doesn't even come close," KBC Securities analyst Tom Simonts told Reuters.
He added RHJ may have an eye on taking a small stake in Opel, which he said could help them support their automotive subsidiaries, such as Belgian auto parts maker Honsel International.
RHJ Chief Executive Leonhard Fischer declined to comment on the group's bid for Opel, which GM has confirmed, saying the group could not comment on market rumours.
He did say, however, that the group was not only interested in expanding into the financial sector.
"Even though we are obviously pursuing financial service investments in general, we would always look at special opportunities if they are very special," Fischer told a conference call on Wednesday.
RHJ said it had 447.7 million euros ($629.9 million) available for investment as of end-March while, in contrast, rival bidders Magna and Russian partner Sberbank Rossi planned, as of end-May, to inject between 500 and 700 million euros into Opel, if the deal goes through.
Fischer said the group would look into selling assets -- restructured as well as non-restructured -- to help raise liquidity.
Some market-watchers suggested that RHJ, which has been hankering for a bank buy for some time, may be using the Opel speculation to boost its profile with German leaders and ease its path towards an eventual purchase of a state-owned Landesbank.
RHJ's holdings include automotive and auto parts firms Asahi Tec, Honsel International, Niles and U-Shin, along with media group Columbia Music, hospitality firm Phoenix Resort and nutrition products group Shaklee Global.
"The company's automotive assets suffered the effects of severe and rapid volume declines," RHJ said.
It said as of March 31, 2009, its portfolio was worth 912 million euros, down 43 percent from last year.
RHJ booked a loss for the year of 1 billion euros versus a loss of 467 million last year. It reported consolidated impairment charges of 939.7 million euros. ($1=.7077 Euro) (Additional reporting by Antonia van de Velde, Editing by Simon Jessop and Jason Neely) ((Brussels newsroom; +32 2 287 6810, fax +32 2 230 7710))