Shares in Informa fell almost 9 per cent yesterday as investors expressed doubts about private equity suitors' ability to finance a bid for the academic journals and trade fairs group, and about the price they might pay.

Providence Equity Partners and Carlyle, who have made a preliminary approach to Informa, have also contacted other private equity groups to see whether a broader consortium could be put together for one of the world's largest leveraged deals since credit markets seized up last August.