Nasdaq has given potential suitors for its stake in the London Stock Exchange until Friday to state their interest, according to reports.

Nasdaq Stock Market has given potential bidders for its 31 percent stake in the London Stock Exchange until Friday to express interest in the stake, according to media reports Monday.

Nasdaq has asked for suitors to express interest by the end of the business day Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The deadline isn't firm, the paper said. The stake is worth about $1.71 billion.

As of last week, at least half a dozen institutions were mulling a bid, the paper said, although no formal offers have been received as of yet. At least two of the possible bidders - state-owned investment firms in Qatar and Singapore - have approached the LSE informally, the Journal reported. Nasdaq declined to comment on the status of the sale.

Separately, London's Sunday Times reported that representatives of the Qatari investment authority have indicated that they would be willing to pay almost £1 billion - or just over $2 billion - for Nasdaq's LSE holding. The approach was made last week by Qatari representatives to investment bankers at UBS, who have been appointed by Nasdaq to handle the sale, the paper said.

The Guardian, another British newspaper, reported that the Australian Stock Exchange, Deutsche Bourse and a number of Italian investment funds may be interested in buying Nasdaq's stake in the LSE.

After two unsuccessful attempts to buy Europe's largest stock exchange, Nasdaq put its stake up for sale last month. Nasdaq is seeking funding as it battles Borse Dubai for control of Nordic Exchange operator OMX. Top of page