UPDATE 1-Market Chatter -- Corporate finance press digest

(Adds Ocado, Travelodge, Barclays Wealth)

LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) - The following corporate finance-related stories involving U.S. and European companies were reported by media on Wednesday:

* Ocado, a British online grocery retailer, is considering a flotation on the stock exchange next year, the Times said. The newspaper said the group -- 29 percent owned by the pension fund of employee-owned retailer John Lewis [JLP.UL] -- is worth an estimated 600 million pounds ($986.2 million).

* British budget hotel chain Travelodge says it has investor backing for a 100 million pound ($164.5 million) fund to buy struggling hotels, one of its executives told the Times. [nLH721357]

* Barclays (BARC.L) is in regular talks with its Japanese investor Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (8316.T) over a wealth management alliance in Japan, the head of the British bank's wealth management division said in an interview in the Financial Times. [ID:nLG549751]

* Real estate tycoon Donald Trump has made a bid to buy New Jersey casino operator Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc TRMPQ.PK, which in February logged its third bankruptcy filing, the Wall Street Journal reported. [ID:nN16310890]

* Sapient Corp (SAPE.O) is buying U.S.-based Nitro Group LLC, an independent advertising agency, for a combination of cash and stock valued at about $50 million, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a person close to the deal. [ID:nBNG166173]

* Private bank Sal. Oppenheim is considering selling its 28.6 percent stake in bankrupt German retailer Arcandor (AROG.DE), German newspapers reported on Wednesday. [ID:nLH331394]

* Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) Chairman Ferdinand Piech opposed a swift agreement with Qatar at a meeting of Porsche (PSHG_p.DE) owner families on Monday that would see the Gulf state taking a stake in Porsche, Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing no sources.

Volkswagen has mapped out ways for Porsche to overhaul its strained finances without the Emirate of Qatar taking a voting stake in the luxury sports car maker and talks on the matter are being held by the two companies, Platow Brief reported, citing unspecified sources. [PSHG_p.DE-E] [VOWG.DE-E]

* Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), CVC Capital Partners and TPG [TPG.UL] are interested in buying part of Anheuser-Busch InBev NV's (ABI.BR) operations in central and eastern Europe in a deal that could be worth more than $2.5 billion, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. [ID:nBNG469191]

* Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) chief executive Stephen Hester has warned that while the worldwide financial economy is recovering, losses from loans secured against property in the banking sector could hamper growth for years, The Times said.

* Clive Cowdery's Resolution (RSL.L) investment vehicle will look to make an initial acquisition in the range of 5-7 billion pounds, using its shares to fund part of the deal, the Financial Times said. [ID:nLG416049]

* National Express (NEX.L) is in talks with lenders to renegotiate terms on a portion of its 1.2 billion pound debt, amid concerns the bus and rail operator could breach loan covenants in December, the Financial Times said.

* Clinton Cards (CLCA.L) is set to re-acquire 140 Birthdays stores after it placed the loss-making subsidiary into administration last month, The Independent said.

(Compiled by Quentin Webb; Editing by Dan Lalor and David Holmes)