** Shares of specialty insurance firm Kestrel Group KG.O begin trading on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol "KG" after merger completion with Bermuda-based Maiden Holdings
** Shares jump as much as 60%, last up 37.8% at $31.71
** In December, the companies had agreed to combine their business in deal that valued Kestrel at up to $167.5 million
** "The combination with Maiden positions our business to capitalize on favorable market opportunities and accelerates our growth plan to become a leading specialty program group nationwide" - Kestrel CEO Luke Ledbetter
** Maiden last year decided to make a strategic pivot away from asset management to a fee-based insurance platform with Kestrel transaction
** Kestrel offers admitted and surplus insurance offerings across in the U.S.
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))
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