Qatar's $60 bln fund eyes U.S. financials-source

By John Irish

DOHA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Qatar's $60 billion sovereign wealth fund is looking at possibly buying into financial services and construction companies in the United States and Europe, a person familiar with fund said on Monday.

The Qatar Investment Authority also plans to use its stakes in the London Stock Exchange (LSE.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Stockholm-based OMX AG OMX.ST to develop its own capital markets, and sell shares in its exchange to the public, said the person, who asked not to be identified.

"We are in research and analysis mode," said the person. "The U.S., Western Europe and the U.K. market have seen revaluation ... the financial and construction sectors have experienced significant downturn."

Gulf Arab investors, including Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Kuwait, have been at the centre of rescue packages for Western lenders such at Citigroup Inc (C.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Merrill Lynch & Co (MER.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), hit by write-downs over their home loans business.

Kuwait agreed last week to invest $5 billion in Citigroup and Merrill Lynch.

Qatar owns 15 percent of the LSE, and almost 10 percent of Nordic and Baltic bourse operator OMX, vying with Dubai which bid to take over OMX and later agreed to sell it to Nasdaq Stock Market Inc (NDAQ.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) for a share in the combined company.

"Our interest in the LSE is to work on a long-term relationship to help develop the DSM and Qatar's capital markets," said the person of the Doha Securities Market, the Gulf's fourth-largest exchange.

As part of its September deal with Dubai, Nasdaq agreed to take a 33 percent stake in the Dubai International Financial Exchange, renaming the bourse Nasdaq-DIFX and allowing Dubai to use the Nasdaq brand and technology across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.