NEW YORK CITY

Singapore state investor Temasek has pulled out of the running to buy Nasdaq's 31 percent stake in the London Stock Exchange, the Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday.

Under a gray and drizzly sky, thousands gathered around the sprawling, reconstruction site of the World Trade Center in New York City to take part in ceremonies, view memorials and commemorate the deaths of those killed in terrorist attacks six years ago on September 11.

Singapore's state-owned Temasek Holdings has approached Nasdaq to buy its 30 percent stake in the London Stock Exchange, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

Nasdaq expects the sale of its London Stock Exchange stake to boost its stock price and enrich its bid for Nordic bourse operator OMX, target of a higher offer from Borse Dubai, Nasdaq CEO Robert Greifeld said on Tuesday.

Shareholders in OMX are weighing a $4 billion bid by Borse Dubai for the firm and waiting to see whether U.S. rival Nasdaq sweetens its $3.7 billion offer, Borse Dubai's head said on Tuesday.

Investor AB is ready to take only Nasdaq shares for its OMX stake under Nasdaq's bid for the bourse firm, a spokesman said on Tuesday, adding that this stance was the same as before Friday's rival offer from Borse Dubai.

Nasdaq is abandoning its 797 million pound ($1.58 billion) stake in the London Stock Exchange, five months after its takeover bid failed, as it focuses on buying Nordic exchange operator OMX. Nasdaq Stock Market Inc, which needs overseas acquisitions to gain an international foothold, is locked in a $4 billion bidding war with Borse Dubai for OMX.

U.S. stock market Nasdaq said on Friday that it remained committed to its plan to acquire Nordic exchange OMX and urged shareholders to support its bid after a $4 billion rival offer emerged from Borse Dubai.

Retailer Macy's Inc. posted a lower quarterly profit and cut its full-year outlook on Wednesday, sending its shares down.

Sweden's financial regulator said on Friday it had requested information from Borse Dubai regarding its move this week to acquire shares in OMX and was considering whether a statement from the state-run firm may already represent an offer to buy all of OMX.

Stocks rose for a third session on Wednesday, a day after the Federal Reserve reassured investors about the economy and technology bellwether Cisco Systems Inc. raised its revenue outlook.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp on Wednesday said fourth-quarter profit rose 4.5 percent on higher advertising sales and affiliate revenue from the Fox News Channel and on more new subscribers at the Sky Italia satellite TV service.

News and information provider Reuters Group Plc, which is being taken over by Canadian publisher Thomson Corp, posted a higher-than-expected interim trading profit and said sales were strong.

A surging U.S. market for initial public offerings has intensified competition between the two largest U.S. stock exchanges for new listings, with both markets campaigning for many of the companies that have recently gone public.

The regulatory arm of the New York Stock Exchange has censured and fined Citigroup Inc.'s Smith Barney unit $50 million for improper trading practices, including deceptive market timing by its brokers.

News Corp. has reached a tentative deal to buy Dow Jones & Co. Inc., parent company of the Wall Street Journal, for $5 billion, the Journal reported late Monday. The Dow Jones board will meet on Tuesday to consider the $60-a-share offer after negotiators reached an agreement in principle Monday afternoon.

The broader U.S. stock market fell on Monday on worries that troubles in the subprime mortgage market may spread, but optimism about earnings at multinational companies pushed the Dow to nearly 14,000. Energy stocks fell, led by ConocoPhillips, because of concern about dwindling profit margins for gasoline.

The owner of Dubai stock exchange is preparing an offer for Nordic stock market group OMX, rivaling the proposed $3.7 billion merger between OMX and U.S. group Nasdaq, Telegraph.co.uk reported on Sunday.

Shares of Nymex Holdings Inc. rose more than 4 percent on Thursday as two analysts increased their earnings estimates the day after the parent of the New York Mercantile Exchange said it was raising trading fees for members.

Dow Jones & Co. denied on Friday that it has come to an agreement with Rupert Murdoch to sell itself, rebuffing published reports that it accepted News Corp's $5 billion takeover bid.

Stocks rallied on Monday, the first day of the third quarter, boosted by a fresh round of takeover activity and data showing a pickup in manufacturing in June.