Company: AXA

A private equity arm of Goldman Sachs is looking to launch a $3 billion property debt fund in a bid to take advantage of a growing shortage of real estate financing across the UK and Europe, British newspaper the Times said on Monday.

France's AXA  and U.S. insurer ACE are the final two suitors in the hunt to buy HSBC's $1 billion general insurance business, people familiar with the matter said.