Tuesday 23 February 2016 2:47 pm

London Stock Exchange Group share price leaps as it confirms talks with Deutsche Boerse

Shares in London Stock Exchange Group jumped more than 16 per cent to 2,689p in lunchtime trading, after reports emerged that it is talks with its German rival, Deutsche Boerse, over a merger.

The London Stock Exchange subsequently confirmed the talks.

"The boards believe that the potential merger would represent a compelling opportunity for both companies to strengthen each other in an industry-defining combination, creating a leading European-based global markets infrastructure group," the group said.

London-based boutique investment bank Robey Warshaw is advising the LSE on the deal.
[stockChart code="LSE" date="2016-02-23 13:45"]

The many suitors for LSE

2000 – Deutsche Boerse and LSE enter talks, but the deal falls through with no agreement
2004 – Deutsche Boerse makes another approach for LSE
2005 – Macquarie Bank makes £1.6bn offer but it is rebuffed
2006 – Nasdaq makes £2.4bn offer, which is rebuffed. Later, it buys a 28.75 per cent stake in the company
2007 – LSE buys Borsa Italiana for £1.1bn. Later that year, Nasdaq sells its stake to Borse Dubai
2011 – LSE and TMX merge
2014 – LSE buys index compiler and asset manager Frank Russell Company for $2.7bn
2015 – Russell Investments, the asset management arm of Frank Russell, is sold for $1.15bn