UK Regulator Probes S&P’s $44B Deal With IHS Markit

Britain’s competition regulator announced on Monday, August 23, it has started its investigation into whether business information provider S&P Global’s US$44 billion purchase of London-based peer IHS Markit would hurt competition.

S&P Global last year agreed to buy IHS Markit, creating a new data powerhouse serving Wall Street and the corporate world. 

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) stated it has set a deadline of October 19 for its phase 1 decision. The regulator had invited comments from interested parties in June.

The UK antitrust regulator will probe if the potential deal between the two companies will hurt competition in the industry.

“The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services,” the regulator noted.

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