A Qatari-backed investment fund, which along with entrepreneur Robert Tchenguiz is pushing J Sainsbury to split off its property business, raised its stake in the UK retailer to more than 25% after snapping up more shares in a £731.9m (€1.1bn) dawn raid this morning.

The latest share purchases were revealed in a stock market announcement today by Delta (Two), which is run by Paul Taylor, a former colleague of Tchenguiz.