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Qatar has signalled that it is willing to offer almost £1 billion to snap up Nasdaq's stake in the London Stock Exchange (LSE), a report claimed yesterday.

The Qatari Investment Authority made an approach over the US exchange's 31 per cent stake in the LSE last week, the Sunday Times reported.

Rumours of the supposed offer come after Nasdaq announced its intention to dispose of its one-third share in the LSE last month, with the American bourse having previously failed in its attempts to takeover the London exchange.

Nasdaq is planning to sell its LSE holding in order to help fund its $3.7 billion (£1.85 billion) offer for Nordic exchange OMX.

Although a deal has been agreed between the two groups, Dubai-based Borse Dubai has since tried to usurp the agreement by making a higher $4 billion (£2 billion) offer for the Stockholm-based exchange.

The Qataris have reportedly now approached investment bank UBS, which is handling the sale of Nasdaq's LSE stake, to express their interest in acquiring the stock.

According to the Sunday Times they have indicated that they would be willing to pay as much as £15 a share for the stake, a price which would value the LSE at almost £3 billion.

The Gulf investors have also not ruled out making a full bid for the London exchange at a later date, the paper claims.

News of Qatar's apparent interest in the LSE comes as stock exchanges across the world are increasingly seeking to consolidate their operations in a bid to cut costs and make their businesses more efficient.