Euronext and Deutsche Boerse shares rose approximately 2% following merger comments from CEO Stéphane Boujnah. Boujnah told the Financial Times that combining the exchange operators would make sense to create global scale.
Both companies confirmed that no formal negotiations are currently underway. Boujnah acknowledged that significant antitrust hurdles have blocked previous tie-up attempts.
European policymakers currently seek to improve capital market competitiveness against the U.S. Boujnah is scheduled to step down as CEO in May 2027. Analysts consider an imminent deal unlikely due to regulatory and leadership challenges.