Context : NGC 4486A is a low-luminosity elliptical galaxy harbouring an edge-on nuclear disk of stars and dust .
It is known to host a super-massive black hole .

Aims : We study its large-scale kinematics and stellar population along the major axis to investigate the link between the nuclear and global properties .

Methods : We use long-slit medium-resolution optical spectra that we fit against stellar population models .

Results : The SSP-equivalent age is about 12 Gyr old throughout the body of the galaxy , and its metallicity decreases from [ Fe/H ] = 0.18 near the centre to sub-solar values in the outskirts .
The metallicity gradient is -0.24 dex per decade of radius within the effective isophote .
The velocity dispersion is 132 \pm 3 km s ^ { -1 } at 1.3 ″ from the centre and decreases outwards .
The rotation velocity reaches a maximum V _ { max } \gtrapprox 115 \pm 5 km s ^ { -1 } at a radius 1.3 < r _ { max } < 2 ″ .

Conclusions : NGC 4486A appears to be a typical low-luminosity elliptical galaxy .
There is no signature in the stellar population of the possible ancient accretion/merging event that produced the disk .