** Shares of real estate firm Bridge Investment Group BRDG.N rise 35.2% to $10.70 premarket

** Alternative asset manager Apollo Global Management APO.N says it will buy the company for about $1.5 billion in an all-stock deal

** Deal is expected to close in Q3 of 2025

** Bridge to operate as a standalone platform within Apollo's asset management business, retaining its existing brand and management team

** Shares of Apollo were up more than 1% in premarket trade

** Shares of Bridge Investment, which holds a market cap of $960 million, fell 14.1% in 2024

** BRDG down 5.7% YTD

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru)

((Abhinav.Parmar@thomsonreuters.com;))