TOKYO -- Renault may transfer part of its stake in Nissan to a trust to match the Japanese automaker's holdings in itself, the Nikkei newspaper reported.
Renault would transfer 28 percent of the stake it owns in Nissan to a trust and would be left with a 15 percent stake, equivalent to what Nissan owns in the French automaker, the Nikkei said on Thursday.
Renault, which currently owns 43 percent of Nissan, would give up voting rights tied to the transferred shares, the newspaper added.
Renault and Nissan declined to comment.
Renault and Nissan had initially set Tuesday as a deadline to agree to a deal on the future of the alliance.
However, the discussions have taken longer than originally expected due to Nissan's concerns about how its intellectual property rights can be protected as Renault forges new ties with China's Geely, sources have told Reuters.
Renault this month unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its businesses, saying it would set up a joint venture with Geely for gasoline engines and hybrid technology and spin off its electric vehicles unit next year. It wants Nissan to invest in the new electric unit.
