Thomson Reuters data unit may go to Blackstone

Written by Mark Evans
30/01/2018

Blackstone Group, the US private equity firm, is reported to be engaged in talks to purchase a majority (55 per cent) stake in the financial and risk business of Thomson Reuters.

Although far from complete, any deal would give Blackstone a major asset in financial data that it could leverage, and Thomson Reuters the ability to focus on its strategic direction after a decade of acquisitions in which some have been better integrated than others.

Financial data is a potentially lucrative market, but competition is fierce with Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters providing the bulk, but many specialist companies providing data in depth and technology startups beginning to encroach on the patch.