NASDAQ OMX to Close Its Pan-European Equity MTF NASDAQ OMX Europe

Apr 28, 2010

LONDON, Apr 28, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) reports today that it has decided to close its pan-European multilateral trading facility (MTF) operated by NASDAQ OMX Europe (NEURO). The announcement was made following an assessment of the financial prospects of the NEURO business.

NASDAQ OMX will continue to have a presence in London and remains committed to London as a financial centre. Forty percent of NASDAQ OMX Nordic trading comes from London based clients. Through its office and its existing data centers in London, NASDAQ OMX will continue to support its trading and market data operations, run the UK power exchange N2EX, and support its international listings business.

Eric Noll, Executive Vice President of NASDAQ OMX, said, "Despite our best efforts, the increasingly competitive nature of the MTF space in Europe has meant that the growth of the business hasn't reached levels necessary for us to realize our stated objectives."

The last day of trading on NEURO is expected to be May 21. Charlotte Crosswell will continue working with business development initiatives for NASDAQ OMX in London and across Europe. She will also oversee an orderly transition of NEURO customer relationships to NASDAQ OMX Nordics.

Hans-Ole Jochumsen, President of NASDAQ OMX Nordic, will assume responsibility for Pan-European Equity trading. With the successful roll-out of the INET trading system in all seven of its equities markets in the Nordics (Copenhagen, Helsinki, Iceland and Stockholm) and the Baltics (Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius), NASDAQ OMX can now leverage operating synergies on the core INET trading platform and build on profitable growth. Jochumsen stated, "Our approach will be very targeted, market-by-market. For example, NASDAQ OMX Nordic is currently the largest competitor to Oslo Bors, with nearly five percent market share."

The INET trading platform is currently operating NASDAQ OMX's options markets in the U.S. and is utilized in all NASDAQ OMX equities markets across the world. NASDAQ OMX's INET technology is the most efficient and scalable trading platform in the world, with microsecond speeds, and high reliability and capacity. The INET system is capable of handling one million messages per second at sub-250 microsecond average speeds, the fastest of any exchange or alternative trading system in the world. INET also serves as the backbone for Genium INET, NASDAQ OMX's commercial exchange technology offering.

About NASDAQ OMX

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with more than 3,600 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and exchange-traded funds. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com. *Please follow NASDAQ OMX on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/NASDAQ-OMX/108167527653) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nasdaqomx).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that are made under the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about NASDAQ OMX's products and offerings. We caution that these statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond NASDAQ OMX's control. These factors include, but are not limited to factors detailed in NASDAQ OMX's annual report on Form 10-K, and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements.

NDAQF

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SOURCE: The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

CONTACT:  The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.
Anna Rasin
+46 8 405 66 12
+44 20 7065 8113
anna.rasin@nasdaqomx.com

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