The Intercontinental Exchange mandated two European banks to advise its $9.9bn (€7.4bn) bid to take over the Chicago Board of Trade, and defended its ability to handle the resulting clearing in a conference call to analysts and shareholders.

ICE added UBS and Société Générale as advisers, along with previously announced Morgan Stanley, as part of its global expansion plan, said Jeffrey Sprecher, chairman and chief executive of ICE.