Paris-based Euronext, which is involved in a potential bidding war for the London Stock Exchange, is also in talks to buy pan-European bond trading platform MTS Group, according to industry insiders.

It emerged on Tuesday that Euronext - operator of the Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam and Brussels stock exchanges - has been talking to MTS for up to 12 months, but no firm offer has so far been made. Euronext refused to comment except to say there was no link between the MTS "rumours" and preliminary talks with the London exchange, which came into play in December after a £1.3bn ($2.4bn) bid by Deutsche Börse.