Information about the merger of NASDAQ OMX Commodities AS and Nord Pool Clearing ASA into NASDAQ OMX Stockholm AB (77/09)


In October 2008, the NASDAQ OMX Group (NASDAQ OMX) acquired parts of Nord
Pool's business activities. These activities are today organized in NASDAQ OMX
Commodities AS and its wholly-owned subsidiary Nord Pool Clearing ASA. 

As a step in the integration, NASDAQ OMX Commodities is currently in the
process of transferring its clearing operations in Norway to a Norwegian branch
of NASDAQ OMX Stockholm AB, through a cross-border merger. 

The main reason for the integration is to realize efficiencies and create a
stronger central clearing counterparty across asset classes, to the benefit of
all NASDAQ OMX and Nord Pool Clearing members. 

The transfer will also create opportunities for NASDAQ OMX to further improve
and broaden its product offering within clearing in the future. As an example,
NASDAQ OMX is taking steps to enable smooth access to all products to all
members through one membership in one clearinghouse. 

NASDAQ OMX Stockholm AB will become the new central clearing counterparty to
all current clearing transactions entered into with Nord Pool Clearing ASA, but
the merger is otherwise not expected to materially affect neither clearing
rules and agreements nor clearing systems or margins, i. e. no operational
consequences for the members of Nord Pool Clearing nor NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. 

The merger has been reviewed by Financial Supervisory Authorities in Norway and
Sweden. 

The merger is targeted to be completed on November 30, 2009.



For further information, please contact:

Jan Vidar Thoresen, Vice President commodity clearing, NASDAQ OMX Commodities,
phone +47 6752 8510/+47 9013 6853 

Andreas Gustavsson, Head of Nordic/Baltic legal, NASDAQ OMX Stockholm
phone+46 8 405 6711, +46 7344 96711

Press contact: Thomas Skålnes, corporate communications,
phone +47 6752 8080/+47 9340 7300

Attachments

clearing_change_091126.pdf