(The Wall Street Journal) -- Davos, Switzerland -- Qatar Investment Authority, a $100bn (€68bn) sovereign wealth fund managed by the gas-rich Gulf sheikdom, will invest up to $15bn buying stakes in blue-chip European and US banks, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister, said in an interview.

"We see an opportunity in U.S. banks; we're looking at buying stakes in 10 or 12 blue-chip banks, but we will start small," said the sheikh, who is also the chief executive of the Qatar Investment Authority.