Russian investor holds 3 pct of Deutsche Bank, could up stake to 9 pct - source

MOSCOW (Thomson Financial) - Russian investor Suleiman Kerimov held about 3.0 percent of Deutsche Bank AG at the end of last year, and he now plans to raise his stake to 9.0 percent, an unnamed source at a major investment bank told Kommersant newspaper.

A spokesman for the German bank did not confirm that Kerimov had acquired the stake when contacted by the newspaper, but noted that local laws require companies to make an official statement if an investor raises their stake above the 3 percent level.

'So far we have not put out an official statement,' the Deutsche Bank spokesman told the newspaper. [e-mail] amk/slm COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.