Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. (NDAQ:NDAQ) is reportedly seeking a deal with the Philadelphia Stock Exchange after its unsuccessful cross-border deal with the London Stock Exchange fell through. A PHLX acquisition would give the NDAQ a strong presence in the rapidly expanding options business. A Wall Street Journal story reported on April 11th that the exchanges have been in talks for months and though no merger news is expected immediately, a deal could be just several week away, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Meanwhile, the CBOT vs. CME vs. ICE buyout battle continues to wage while the NYSE and Euronext merger appears to be all but locked up. Clearly, there is a lot of action going on now amongst the exchanges, which makes them a sector worth keeping a close eye on!

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NYSE Group, Inc. (NYX)
CBOT Holdings, Inc. (CBOT)
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