EU antitrust regulators will examine IntercontinentalExchange Inc's $8.2 billion takeover of NYSE Euronext in line with a request from the exchange operators themselves, a spokesman for the European Commission said on Wednesday. The deal would give commodities and energy bourse ICE control of London-based Liffe, Europe's second-largest derivatives market, strengthening it against U.S. rivals CME and Nasdaq OMX Group.ICE is making its second attempt to acquire the New York Stock Exchange owner after a failed joint bid with Nasdaq last year.ICE said in a regulatory filing earlier this year that it would ask the EU competition authority, which has extensive experience of financial markets, to assess the deal, rather than leave it to regulators in Portugal, Spain and Britain."We are the competent authority to examine this transaction," said Antoine Colombani, the Commission spokesman for competition policy.
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (NASDAQ OMX) is a holding company. Shares of NDAQ remained unchanged at $28.47. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $21.03 and as high as $32.89. On average, 1778540 shares of NDAQ exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 0.
NYSE Euronext is a global operator of financial markets and provider of trading solutions. Shares of NYX remained unchanged at $37.95. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $22.25 and as high as $38.75. On average, 2105460 shares of NYX exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 0.
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