NYSE board rejects sweetened bid from Nasdaq, ICE

NEW YORK (Reuters) - NYSE Euronext <NYX.N> directors on Thursday rejected a sweetened takeover offer from Nasdaq OMX Group <NDAQ.O> and IntercontinentalExchange <ICE.N>, the second time in 11 days the board had made the unanimous decision.

NYSE Euronext Chairman Jan-Michiel Hessels said in a statement that the revised bid, made this week, "is substantially the same as what was previously rejected," and "has unacceptable execution risk."

The board reaffirmed its support for a friendly, albeit lower, takeover offer from Deutsche Boerse AG <DB1Gn.DE>.

(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)