Paris, July 3 - Blue Capital, the holding company jointly owned by billionaire Bernard Arnault and property group Colony Capital, on Thursday declined to comment on a report it could raise its stake in French retailer Carrefour.
The French magazine Challenges reported that Blue Capital could increase its holding to 15 percent from 10.7 percent but predicted the move would take place only after July 9 when the retailer publishes half-year sales figures.
Carrefour also declined to comment. The stock, which would have been expected to rise on the report, was pulled down by the falling French stock market and by 0830 GMT it had lost 1.24 percent at 33.39 euros.
The stock has fallen around 37 percent since the start of 2008, compared to a roughly 35 percent fall in the DJ Stoxx European retail index .
In May, Carrefour gave Arnault a seat on its supervisory board. Arnault is one of France's richest men and is also the head of luxury goods group LVMH.