Interest in Facebook shares is so strong that Goldman Sachs Group Inc plans to stop soliciting interest from potential investors on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

The securities firm received orders of several billion dollars, the paper reported on Wednesday, quoting these people.

It's a blowout, one Goldman employee told an investor who has considered trying to buy Facebook shares on behalf of a client, the paper said.

Since the deal emerged over the weekend, wealthy Goldman clients have been scrambling for a piece of the equity offering that could be worth as much as $1.5 billion, WSJ said.

Facebook did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Goldman declined comment.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; editing by Andre Grenon)

Goldman sachs Facebook