Publishing group Pearson has been asked by its investor Axa Investment Management to consider a sale of its Financial Times newspaper, which posted a £2m profit last year. Pearson derives in excess of two thirds of its profits from its educational publishing division. Axa Investment Management, a division of the listed French insurance group Axa, has a 3% stake in Pearson. Analysts have estimated the FT newspaper is worth £650m and FT.com is worth about £200m.