LEHMAN ABS CORP : U.S. probe to ask analysts if Lehman misled: report

(Reuters) - U.S. federal prosecutors probing the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc have subpoenaed other securities firms, asking whether their analysts were misled by Lehman about its financial health, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

The subpoenas are broad in nature, requesting information about statements Lehman made earlier this year as its stock was tumbling and questions about its strength were mounting, the paper said.

The subpoenas have been sent to brokerage firms and individual analysts, according to the paper.

On Saturday, the New York Times reported that prosecutors stepped up a probe on Lehman and issued at least a dozen subpoenas including one to the investment bank's chief executive, Richard Fuld.

Lehman filed for bankruptcy protection on September 15 in the largest U.S. bankruptcy filing in history.

(Reporting by Ajay Kamalakaran in Bangalore; Editing by Kim Coghill)