December 20, 2012 - 5:06 AM
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Trading halts are in place for NYSE Euronext, operator of the New York Stock Exchange, and IntercontinentalExchange Inc. amid reports the two companies are negotiating a US$8-billion takeover deal.
The Wall Street Journal quotes sources as saying IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE:ICE) is considering an offer of about US$33 in cash and stock to buy NYSE Euronext (NYSE:NXY).
That would be about $8 a share or 38 per cent above the NYSE stock price ahead of the trading halt.
Neither NYSE nor IntercontinentalExchange has commented on the reports but the trading halts suggest some sort of announcement is in the works.
IntercontinentalExchange, also known as ICE, last traded at US$128.31.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012