Blackstone exploring IPO: CNBC

NEW YORK, March 16 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Blackstone Group [BG.UL] is working with investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS.N) to launch an initial public offering of the firm, business news channel CNBC said on Friday. Blackstone declined to comment on the report.

((Reporting by Michael Flaherty, editing by Gerald E. McCormick; email michael.flaherty@reuters.com; +1 646-223-6152)) Keywords: BLACKSTONE IPO/

(C) Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution ofReuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expresslyprohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuterssphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group ofcompanies around the world.nN16257686