Qatari shopping spree continues.

Qatar is reportedly set to splash the cash and stump up billions to add a London business district to its growing list of UK acquisitions.

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is expected to make a statement today about its bid to snap up the remaining 76 per cent of Songbird Estates, owner of Canary Wharf.

In order to do so, it will have to convince New York investor Simon Glick, with 23.95 per cent of Songbird, China Investment Corp (CIC) with 14.7 per cent, and Morgan Stanley with 3.1 per cent, to part with their stakes.

The bid is likely to carry a price tag of $1 billion to $1.3 billion.

Sources said a bid from the sovereign wealth fund, which has 23.96 per cent already, could be pitched to secure a 75 per cent stake in Songbird to force a delisting, or be rich enough to achieve 90 per cent acceptances, allowing it to squeeze out minority holders.

Any move would follow Qatar's recent London purchases of department store Harrods and the Park House development on Oxford Street, a major shopping corridor.

But, experts say winning Songbird stakeholders over could be Qatar's toughest test yet.

One Songbird shareholder told Reuters they thought the Chinese stake was a long-term investment and CIC was unlikely to sell.

Even if QIA does manage a Songbird coup, it will likely be just as hard for it to convert that company's two-third holding in Canary Wharf to full ownership from a consortium analysts say could prove stubborn about selling.

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