LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - The UK's competition watchdog formally launched an investigation into the recent merger of two major healthcare real estate companies on Wednesday, Primary Health Properties and Assura.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the inquiry would assess the impact of the completed acquisition.

It set a statutory deadline of 29 October for its phase one decision, although it noted that could be extended in "certain limited circumstances".

An initial enforcement order was previously issued on 8 August, following an invitation to comment period in July.

In its formal notice, the CMA confirmed it had "sufficient information in relation to the completed acquisition by Primary Health Properties of Assura to enable it to begin an investigation".

The authority said that the initial period for the inquiry would start on the first working day following the notice, being 4 September.

That set the clock for the "deadline for the CMA to announce its decision whether to refer the merger for a phase two investigation".

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

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