LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) – London Stock Exchange has agreed to buy financial information firm Refinitiv, the company said on Thursday, in a $27 billion deal that will transform the British group into a market data and analytics giant.

The deal, announced ten months after a Blackstone-led consortium completed a leveraged buyout of Refinitiv from Thomson Reuters, marks a rapid turnaround for the U.S. private equity group which is set to double the value of its investment, according to a person familiar with the deal.

As part of the deal initially announced last week, Refinitiv shareholders will ultimately hold around a 37% stake in LSE but less than 30% of the total voting rights.

The announcement came as LSE reported an 8% rise in first-half total income.

Thomson Reuters, the parent company of Reuters, holds a 45% stake in Refinitiv. (Reporting by Noor Hussain and Huw Jones Editing by Rachel Armstrong)