LSE head sees only five bourses in 10 years-paper

Consolidation among the world's stock markets could mean that in five to 10 years there are only five bourses, the head of the London Stock Exchange said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday.

"As the economy is totally global and the same is happening to regulators we are expecting a reduction in the number of stock markets worldwide, perhaps no more than five in the next five to 10 years" Xavier Rolet, chief executive of the LSE,told La Repubblica newspaper. "More or less one per macro area: America, Asia, Europe,Middle East" he added.

Rolet, in Milan for meetings with the Milan bourse which is owned by LSE, added that in Europe there was room for a rise intrades on stock markets, "given that the value (of trades) is only a tenth of America's."

Rolet, who said on Wednesday he had no concerns over the future of Dubai's stake in the London bourse, told La Repubblicahe didn't think rumours that Qatar might buy the 20 percent holding were credible.

"In such a case, given that (Qatar) already has 15 percent of LSE, it would have to make a public bid for the whole company" Rolet said.