Nyse, Nyse Euronext | featured news

Nasdaq OMX has stepped up its opposition to the planned merger between NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse and said the deal would "irrevocably destroy" competition in Europe's listed-derivatives markets, just as the European Commission nears a decision on the tie-up.

The top executive of NYSE Euronext said a critical European Union review of the company's agreed-upon tie-up with Deutsche Börse will likely result in conditions being placed on the combined company, rather than an outright block of the deal.

Nasdaq and IntercontinentalExchange are withdrawing their proposed $11 billion bid for the parent of the New York Stock Exchange after recognizing they would not receive regulatory approval for the transaction.

Nasdaq OMX and IntercontinentalExchange said they will take their bid for NYSE Euronext directly to shareholders after being rebuffed twice by the exchange.

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc.'s potential hostile bid for NYSE Euronext would face substantial antitrust questions in the U.S., where it would merge two direct competitors and create a monopoly in the market for corporate listings, according to antitrust lawyers.

NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Borse agreed on Tuesday to a $10 billion all-stock merger, bringing together two stock exchanges into a trans-Atlantic powerhouse.