Nasdaq Open to Selling Amex in NYSE Bid

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc (NDAQ.O) is open to selling NYSE Euronext's (NYX.N) American Stock Exchange to get antitrust clearance and may also consider offering a break-up fee to the Big Board parent, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Friday.

Nasdaq, along with IntercontinentalExchange Inc (ICE.N), has made a rival offer for NYSE Euronext, which already has a deal to merge with Deutsche Boerse (DB1Gn.DE).

Nasdaq Chief Executive Robert Greifeld told hedge fund managers about these ideas in meetings Friday, the Journal reported.

Nasdaq was not immediately available for comment.

Greifeld told investors he hoped to get some guidance from antitrust regulators in the next six or seven weeks, the newspaper said.

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To allay antitrust concerns, Nasdaq could also cut annual listing fees for the largest companies by $50,000 to $450,000 and agree to cap fees on others for a while, the paper reported.