News: QUB Canada's Brookfield to raise Asciano bid day after Qube wins endorsement - sources

SYDNEY, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc plans to launch a A$9.05 billion ($6.43 billion) counter-offer for Australian port and rail giant Asciano Ltd (AIO) as soon as Thursday, two sources told Reuters.

The Canadian infrastructure investor will make its revised bid with sovereign fund the Qatar Investment Authority and Canadian pension fund investor PSP Investments, added the sources, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation.

It comes a day after Asciano, owner of Australia's largest rail freight network with ports in every state, said it had formally dumped a stand-alone bid from Brookfield worth A$8.9 billion for a slightly higher offer from Australian port company Qube Holdings Ltd (QUB). ($1 = 1.4073 Australian dollars)