Boerse is ‘losing appetite for Euronext’

Germany’s Deutsche Boerse has lost its appetite for pursuing Euronext, even though the operator of the Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels stock exchanges is back on the block, sources familiar with the Frankfurt-based company’s thinking said.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Jan 2013, 06:00 BST

Regulatory and technological changes have made it harder to earn big profits from stock trading, taking the edge off Deutsche Boerse’s decades-long dream of consolidating the European stock exchange landscape.

Since 2003, Deutsche Boerse made three attempts at combining with Euronext, all of which proved unsuccessful.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The attractiveness of the shares trading business has massively diminished,” a high ranking Deutsche Boerse manager, who declined to be named, told Reu- ters.

Deutsche Boerse declined to comment.

NYSE Euronext’s European stock market businesses is set to be split off following IntercontinentalExchange’s $8.2bn takeover of Euronext’s parent company NYSE Euronext.

Shares trading currently makes up only 10 per cent of Deutsche Boerse’s earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), and margins and market share have suffered due to the European Union’s markets in financial instruments directive (Mifid), which was introduced in 2007.

Mifid removed an obligation to trade shares only on regulated exchanges, making it easier for non-exchange competitors like banks and alternative investment businesses to muscle in on Deutsche Boerse’s market share.

Related topics:AmsterdamGermanyParis