June 19 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator said

on Wednesday it was investigating whether Hewlett Packard

Enterprise's ( HPE ) planned $14 billion acquisition of Juniper

Networks ( JNPR ) would result in competition concerns in the

country.

The Competition and Markets Authority has until Aug. 14 to

decide whether it would refer the deal to a deeper probe.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( HPE ), or HPE, said in January it would

buy networking gear maker Juniper to spruce up its artificial

intelligence (AI) offerings.

HPE expects to double its networking business through the

deal, which came as the AI gold rush has led companies to pour

billions of dollars into upgrading and developing their

technology.

U.S.-based HPE and Juniper did not immediately respond to a

Reuters' request for comment. The U.S. market is closed for the

Juneteenth holiday.