The Chicago Board Options Exchange's parent is now formally open to "strategic transactions" such as a sale or merger with another exchange operator, a person with direct knowledge of the company's stance said on Wednesday. At a Feb. 8 board meeting, CBOE Holdings Inc (CBOE.O) management told directors that it would not be opposed to a transaction, though no specific possibilities were outlined, said the source, who requested anonymity, adding the board did not oppose this. The next day, on Feb. 9, two major exchange takeovers were unveiled. Since then, the source said, many emailed and verbal messages have been exchanged internally on how CBOE, the No. 1 U.S. options market, will respond to the recent rash of global merger plans. (Reporting by Jonathan Spicer)
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