Germany's GfK may drop TNS bid plans

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's GfK Holdings AG (GFKG.DE) has decided not to bid for market research group Taylor Nelson Sofres TNS.L, a German magazine reported on Tuesday without citing sources.

GfK has pulled out of the race because Apax, the private equity fund it lined up to help finance a deal, was demanding wide-ranging control rights, manager magazin reported.

GfK Chief Executive Klaus Wuebbenhorst said earlier this month the company had been holding talks with partners about a possible offer for TNS and these were "positive."

WPP Group Plc (WPP.L), the world's No. 2 advertising and marketing firm, has offered $2.2 billion (1.2 billion pounds) in cash and shares in a hostile bid for TNS, which has said publicly it would prefer to link up with GfK.

(Reporting by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Andre Grenon)