NASDAQ OMX Group (NDAQ)

Principal exchange activities

Equities trading function. Both in the U.S. as well as in Europe, there is tremendous competition between exchanges and ECNs seeking to be the venue on which equity securities are traded. Currently in the U.S., exchange-listed securities trade not just on the exchange on which they are listed, but also through other market centers including ECNs and regional exchanges. After the full implementation of MiFID, similar trading rules will commence in Europe. As a result, regulatory infrastructure, total transaction costs, the depth and breadth of liquidity, the quality of value-added customer services, reputation and cost of trade execution should become increasingly relevant.

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Table of Contents

Listing function. The market for listing services is primarily dependent on the economy, access to and costs for alternative sources of financing as well as the perception of the attractiveness of exchange listing and financing. Registered securities exchanges provide a venue for corporate and ETF issuers to list their equity securities for trading by market participants worldwide. There is substantial competition for listings, which are gained either through an IPO by a private company, an upgrade from the over-the-counter market, or OTC, or listing switches gained at the expense of a competitor.

Market data function. Demand from investors for high quality information to inform investment decisions is very strong. Since an increasingly large portion of trading today is automated, requirements for the speed of information delivery are also escalating. Laws, regulations and increasing demand from investors for reliable information provided on a real-time basis are all driving the development of the market for communications tools. Companies use these tools to distribute information to the media, analysts, professional traders and private investors in an efficient manner.

Principal exchange activities