Unable to find a fit with a partner in an industry where technology has outstripped its traditional role, NYSE Euronext — headquartered in Wall Street's New York Stock Exchange building — has agreed to an $8.2-billion acquisition by an Atlanta-based commodity-trading outfit, InterContinental Exchange (ICE).

The deal would create a derivatives giant, as Reuters noted. It also gives a 12-year-old startup control of the most iconic symbol of U.S. capitalism, with a two-century history of serving as the very hub of company-building. While the exchange still features traders squawking in bright-colored jackets to make orders, digital technology and the rise of private trading venues have made it less and less relevant.

NYSE, which refreshed its branding earlier this year, handles only about 20 percent of equities traded in the United States on a given day, an expert told the U.K.'s Guardian, down from a peak of 60 percent to 70 percent.Continue reading...

NYSE Euronext today unveiled a new logo, an abstract vision of the globe that “visualizes the concept of unlocking the potential of our worldwide community," according to Euronext’s global head of marketing, Marisa Ricciardi, in a blog post.

"Our company has transformed dramatically over the course of the last five years, so we’re rolling out a new brand identity that better represents both our position today, and our direction for the future," she adds.

The vibrant blue and green colors represent “growth and optimism,” Ricciardi notes. The lighter hues, meanwhile, “convey our commitment to transparency, and the bolder colors recall our storied historical role in developing the world economy."Continue reading...