In reporting half-yearly earnings, LSE said it was seeing good progress with foreign investment, antitrust and other regulatory approvals for the Refinitiv transaction, and that integration planning is well developed. "We expect to close the transaction by the end of the year or in early 2021," LSE Chief Executive David Schwimmer said in a statement. Rival exchanges Euronext and Deutsche Boerse have previously expressed an interest in the LSE's Italian operations. Neither immediately responded to requests for comment early on Friday.