Iceland's Novator says sees no need to sell assets

REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Icelandic investment group Novator said on Wednesday it is not in talks to sell any of its assets, and does not feel any pressure to sell them.

Many highly leveraged Icelandic companies have been forced to sell foreign assets as the global financial crunch squeezes liquidity.

"Novator is in no way affected by the turmoil in the Icelandic financial sector," Novator spokesman Asgeir Fridgeirsson said. "We are not in need of any distressed sales."

Fridgeirsson denied a Finnish media report on Wednesday that Novator was in talks to sell its stake in Finnish telecom operator Elisa to DNA.

"That is not happening," he said.

Iceland's Exista said on Tuesday it would sell its near 20-percent stake in Finnish insurer Sampo to reduce liabilities.

Novator, the vehicle of Icelandic tycoon Thor Bjorgolfsson, is also the largest shareholder in Finnish sporting goods group Amer Sports with 10.5 percent of shares and votes, according to Amer's website.

(Reporting by Brett Young; editing by Elaine Hardcastle)