2006年VOA标准英语-NYSE - Euronext Merger Gains Momentum

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
24 May 2006
 
watch Merger² report 

New York Stock Exchange    
  
The New York Stock Exchange made an offer this week to merge¹ with Euronext, the Amsterdam based company that operates several major European exchanges. Euronext was considering an alternate bid from Germany's Deutsche Boerse, but shareholders³ voted against that bid at their yearly general meeting Tuesday in Amsterdam.

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The Euronext bid announced this week could create the first transatlantic stock exchange - and the world's largest equities⁴ market - with a total value for its listed companies of nearly $27 trillion dollars.

Euronext is Europe's second largest exchange operator, with trading facilities in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Lisbon.  Its suitor, the New York Stock Exchange - or NYSE - is the world's largest exchange. 

John Thain   
  
In March 2006, NYSE Chief executive officer John Thain, took the firm public, saying he intends to preserve its position of preeminence⁵. "As we become a public company, we will really look to make sure we maintain our position as the leading marketplace in the world."

The merger offer comes just a week after NYSE tried to gain control over the London Stock Exchange.  But Nasdaq, the other major New York stock market, blocked the move by increasing its own stake in that firm by 25 percent.

NYSE officials have offered $10 billion for Euronext, convinced that efficiencies created by combining the two firms could save hundreds of millions of dollars in transactional and operational costs. 

Liz Moyer   
  
But, Liz Moyer of Forbes financial magazine says there are other good reasons for the deal. "John Thain has talked about expanding the product mix and the scope of the New York Stock Exchange since he took over as CEO in late 2003, and this is his perfect opportunity.  It gets him European equities, European options, all sorts of fun stuff like exchange-traded funds, it also gives him a fairly substantial derivatives⁶ business, and the technology and the listing business that comes with Euronext."

But Euronext shareholders say they're not rushing to approve the deal.  Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse is expected to submit a new bid, which could set the stage for a possible bidding war between the rival exchanges.

1 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

2 merger   

n.企业合并，并吞

参考例句：

• Acceptance of the offer is the first step to a merger.对这项提议的赞同是合并的第一步。
• Shareholders will be voting on the merger of the companies.股东们将投票表决公司合并问题。

3 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

4 equities   

普通股，股票

参考例句：

• These are invested mainly in the OECD bonds and equities. 这些资产主要投资于经济合作及发展组织的债券与股票市场。
• They are also advantage of the global rebound in equities. 它们还在利用全球股市反弹的机会。

5 preeminence   

n.卓越,杰出

参考例句：

• No one doubted the preeminence of my father in financial matters.我父亲在财务方面的杰出才能是不容置疑的。
• Japan had no such confidence in its cultural preeminence or diplomatic skill.日本对本国文化的卓越程度和自己的外交手腕都缺乏这种信心。

6 derivatives   

n.衍生性金融商品；派生物，引出物( derivative的名词复数 )；导数

参考例句：

• Many English words are derivatives of Latin words. 许多英语词来自拉丁语。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These compounds are nitrosohydroxylamine derivatives. 这类合成物是亚硝基羟胺衍生物。 来自辞典例句