Puma shares pop 13% after report China's Anta Sports is looking to buy the sportswear giant

Puma

shares jumped as much as 16% early Thursday following a report that China’s Anta Sports is among a number of firms looking to buy the German athletic brand.

Puma may also attract interest from Chinese apparel firm Li Ning and Japan’s Asics Corp, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.

Puma declined to comment and Anta Sports has yet to respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

Puma shares have more than halved year to date amid an increasingly competitive sportswear market and tariffs hitting customer sentiment.