Euronext CEO Expresses Openness to Deutsche Boerse Merger

Shares of Euronext and Deutsche Boerse rose after Stephane Boujnah, the Chief Executive of Euronext, stated he is open to a deal with the German exchange group. In an interview with the Financial Times, Boujnah suggested that combining the stock exchange businesses of the two companies would be logical. He did not rule out a full-scale merger to create a "pan-European market infrastructure which has a planetary scale" to better compete with U.S. markets.

Boujnah clarified that no talks are currently in progress, a point confirmed by Deutsche Boerse, which stated there are no conversations between the two entities regarding a possible merger.

Any potential tie-up would likely face significant antitrust hurdles from the European Union. The regulator previously blocked merger attempts between the two groups in 2012, as well as a 2017 attempt between Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange Group.