London Stock Exchange shareholders overwhelmingly backed the exchange’s $27 billion takeover of data and analytics company Refinitiv on Tuesday, a deal designed to broaden LSE’s trading business and make it a major distributor of market data. LSE Chairman Don Robert told a shareholders meeting in London that the exchange’s board was unanimous in recommending the Refinitiv deal because it was a “compelling opportunity” in the best interests of shareholders and the company. One shareholder asked whether the LSE was simply bulking up to avoid becoming a future takeover target.
