Carrefour is the world's second-biggest retailer

"We are not candidates to acquire Ahold, but if portions of the company were up for sale we would look at them with our investment criteria in mind," Carrefour chief executive Daniel Bernard told a results news conference on Wednesday.

The Dutch retailer has been involved in an accounting scandal at a US subsidiary.

The share is just very volatile now, but it would not be good if the company sold one of the good parts Trader at Delta Lloyd Securities

As it stuggles with widening investigations into its accounting practices, Ahold confirmed on Wednesday it had secured a 3.1bn-euro (�2.1bn) loan by its banks.

No dividend

Last week, Ahold shocked financial markets after it revealed it had overstated profits at its key US Foodservice arm by at least $500m since 2001.

Shares in Ahold, once considered one of the safest bets to have in an investment portfolio, have since lost 70% of its value.

Ahold also said on Wednesday that it would not pay out any dividends for its common shares for 2002 in order to boost its dwindling finances.

But Ahold shares trimmed its losses on Wednesday following the Carrefour comments.

At 10:27 GMT, Ahold shares were trading only 0.12% lower.

Earlier, Ahold shares had lost as much 8.6% on media reports US private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) might be bidding for Ahold's American retail unit.

KKR was also one of the contenders in the battle for UK supermarket chain Safeway, but has since withdrawn.

Carrefour results

Ahold was once the darling of the Dutch stock market, with shares hitting highs at around 30 euros earlier in the year.

Traders on Wednesday expressed concern about a possible sell-off of one of Ahold's most profitable units.

Giant, Bi-Lo and Stop & Shop are all part of Ahold's US grocery business.

"The share is just very volatile now, but it would not be good if the company sold one of the good parts," said a trader from Delta Lloyd Securities.

Ahold is the world's third-biggest food retail and foodservice group by sales.

Carrefour, the world's second-biggest retailer, said on Wednesday it would continue to expand this year in spite of a gloomy economic outlook.