(Updated with no comments from BlackRock and BGI.)

 
   DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 
 

BlackRock Inc. (BLK) is likely to announce an agreement to buy Barclays Global Investors from Barclays PLC (BCS), Pensions & Investments reported Friday, citing sources. A source not directly involved in the deal said the announcement is likely within the next few days. Another source said that, although CVC, which bid $4.5 billion for BGI's iShares business, would have the option to counteroffer, its chances of topping the BlackRock offer, said to be in excess of $10 billion, would be slim.

BlackRock isn't commenting on "rumors and speculation," a BlackRock spokeswoman reached by Dow Jones Newswires said. BGI has no comment on the reports, a spokesman for BGI told Dow Jones Newswires via email.

Full story at

http://www.pionline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090605/DAILYREG/906059979/-1/BreakingNews03

-Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5500