【英语财经】美国洲际交易所可能竞购伦敦证交所 ICE hint at Deutsche B?rse challenge raises prospect of bidding war for LSE

European ambitions to establish a trading giant to rival US competitors were thrown into doubt after Intercontinental Exchange said it might bid for the London Stock Exchange, days after Deutsche B?rse and the LSE revealed a merger plan.

ICE, which owns the New York Stock Exchange, said yesterday that it was looking at a proposal but had not yet approached the board of the LSE and that “there can be no certainty that any offer will be made”.

The LSE is in advanced talks with Deutsche B?rse over a ￡20bn deal, which would create a globally competitive European champion in derivatives, clearing and financial market data.

News of ICE’s interest fuelled speculation that other leading exchange operators, including Chicago’s CME Group and Hong Kong’s HKeX, could enter the fray and spark an international -bidding war.

Shares in the LSE rose 7.2 per cent, marking the first time the company has been valued at almost ￡10bn. ICE’s entry could ignite a political storm over who should own and regulate the LSE. A deal with the German bourse would boost London’s prominence as a financial capital, creating a UK-based holding company with dual headquarters in the UK capital and Frankfurt.

欧洲机构缔造一家交易巨擘、与美国竞争对手分庭抗礼的雄心产生变数，原因是美国洲际交易所(ICE)宣布可能竞购伦敦证交所(LSE)。就在几天前，德意志交易所(Deutsche B?rse)和伦敦证交所披露了合并计划。

旗下拥有纽约证交所(NYSE)的ICE昨日表示，正在研究一个方案，但还没有接洽伦敦证交所董事会，并称：“并不确定是否会发出要约”。

伦敦证交所与德意志交易所围绕200亿英镑的合并交易已展开深入谈判，合并将缔造一家在衍生品、清算和金融市场数据领域具有全球竞争力的欧洲冠军企业。

有关ICE感兴趣的消息推动人们猜测，其他主要交易所运营商，包括芝加哥商品交易所集团(CME Group)和香港交易所(HKEx)，可能加入角逐，引发一场国际竞购战。

伦敦证交所股价上涨7.2%，标志着该公司的估值首次接近100亿英镑。ICE加入竞购可能点燃一场政治风暴，焦点问题是应当由谁拥有和监管伦敦证交所。与德意志交易所合并将提振伦敦作为一个金融中心的显赫地位，创建一家落户英国、在英国首都和法兰克福设立双总部的控股公司。

译者/和风