Nasdaq OMX Group and IntercontinentalExchange announced their unsolicited offer for NYSE Euronext on Friday in a move expected to place the future shape of the exchange sector in the hands of global regulators.
The highly-anticipated joint offer is valued at around $11.3bn, topping the value of NYSE Euronext's planned merger with Deutsche Börse and includes a cash component as well as the promise of higher synergies.