In 1998, Mr. Lipper, 65, sold his firm to the Reuters Group.

Reuters Group distributes financial news and information to more than a half million users - including online, print, and broadcast media - through a variety of products.

A spokesman for Reuters Group said, "We won't comment on speculation about acquisitions or disposals."

Instinet was spun off in part by the Reuters Group in 2001.

Today, the Reuters Group begins selling two trading services that allow subscribers to set up automatic trading orders based on the news.

Reuters Group was best known for the Reuters news agency, which was the original business of the company.

Reuters Group said today that it planned to reposition itself as a highflying Internet concern.

This article is primarily about Thomson prior to its merger with Reuters Group.

In 2008 it merged with Reuters Group to form Thomson Reuters.

This charitable trust funded by the Reuters Group provided cash grants to educational and humanitarian programs around the world.