07:57 AM EST, 12/13/2024 (MT Newswires) -- BlackRock's ( BLK ) proposed acquisition of Preqin is being looked into by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, the regulator said Friday, as it launched the first phase of an inquiry into the potential transaction.

The regulator said an invitation to comment on the proposed merger and its possible antitrust implications closes on Dec. 17 and the deadline for a decision on whether to proceed to a second phase of the probe has been set for Feb. 12 next year.

BlackRock ( BLK ) and Preqin did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' requests for comment.