Deutsche Bank AG is set to sell its 7% stake in Turquoise Trading Ltd., as part of the revamp of its equities sales and trading business division, Financial News reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Turquoise, a European equities and derivatives trading platform that is 51.36% owned by London Stock Exchange Group PLC, is a privately held company, the report noted. Deutsche Bank is the second-largest shareholder in the platform, behind LSE, with 11 other investment banks also owning stakes.
The source said Deutsche Bank has moved the stake into its so-called capital release unit, which is where it houses the roughly €75 billion in risk-weighted assets it is looking to sell or wind down. It has a seat on Turquoise's board, whereas some other shareholders do not, and the sale could therefore represent an opportunity for another investor to take Deutsche Bank's place.
LSE acquired a majority stake in Turquoise in February 2010.