CME in talks to buy Dow Jones Index: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exchange operator CME Group Inc (CME.O) is a leading bidder to buy Dow Jones & Co's index business, although a final price and terms have yet to be agreed, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

CME, which owns the New York and Chicago mercantile exchanges, and News Corp (NWSA.O)-owned Dow Jones are haggling over a price for the index business, with Dow Jones seeking about $700 million, the newspaper said.

Both sides had planned to announce a deal in the past week and the delay and ongoing negotiations make a closing less certain and could give MSCI Inc MXB.N an opportunity to buy the index business, the paper said.

A CME spokesman declined to comment to Reuters on Friday.

"We don't comment on rumors or speculation," the spokesman said.

Dow Jones owns The Wall Street Journal.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder)