Qatar Interested in Nasdaq's LSE Stake: Report

Representatives of the Qatari Investment Authority have indicated a willingness to pay as much as 15 pounds ($30) a share for Nasdaq's 31% percent stake in the London Stock Exchange the Sunday Times newspaper said.

Since Nasdaq announced plans to sell its 31 percent stake in the LSE, media reports have speculated that Deutsche Boerse, Borse Dubai, ASX and Singapore's Temasek all were interested buyers, but each has distanced itself from the notion either publicly or privately.

The Sunday Times said the Qatari approach was made last week.

Nasdaq has said it will not sell the whole LSE stake to one buyer, though it
could sell most of it to the same party.

The stake has been put into play following rivalry between the American exchange and Borse Dubai for control of the Scandinavian stock exchange OMX.

UBS and JP Morgan have been appointed to oversee the sale of Nasdaq's LSE stake.