YouGov, the analysis and knowledge group, is tapping shareholders to assist fund a £300m swoop on an arm of GfK, the buyer knowledge large.

Sky News has learnt that YouGov will announce after the market shut on Thursday that it has struck a deal to amass GfK's world shopper panels division, which provides a wealthy seam of information on consumption habits.

City sources described the deal as a pure match for YouGov that might facilitate a fast acceleration of its technique.

The GfK enterprise was put up on the market following the announcement of a merger between its mother or father firm and NielsenIQ, a rival.

European antitrust regulators ordered the businesses to suggest treatments to mitigate competitors dangers related to the deal.

YouGov's biggest-ever acquisition, which is anticipated to see it elevate tens of thousands and thousands of kilos from institutional buyers, is more likely to be well-received by the market, in accordance with one shareholder.

It comes simply months after the corporate appointed Steve Hatch, an govt at Facebook-owner Meta, as its new CEO.

Stephan Shakespeare, its co-founder and chief govt, stepped as much as turn out to be non-executive chairman.

The firm was additionally based in 2000 by Nadhim Zahawi, the previous Conservative chancellor and occasion chairman.

It listed on the London inventory market 5 years later.

Shares in YouGov had been buying and selling on Thursday morning at round 1120p, giving the corporate a market capitalisation of £1.08bn.

A YouGov spokesman declined to remark.