Nov 28 (Reuters) - BlackRock ( BLK ) has a handshake

deal to buy private credit group HPS Investment Partners, and

the transaction for the lender could cost $12 billion, The

Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

The two sides have agreed on the broad outline of the deal

with an eye towards announcing general terms after the U.S.

Thanksgiving holiday, the report said citing four people

familiar with the matter.