NASDAQ OMX Acquires Nord Pool ASA


Oslo, March 17, 2010 − The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NDAQ) announces the   
acquisition of Nord Pool ASA, the world's largest power derivatives exchange and
one of Europe's largest carbon exchanges, following Statnett's and Svenska      
Kraftnät's decision to exercise their option to sell the shares in the company. 
Financial terms were not disclosed.                                             

In October 2008, NASDAQ OMX acquired Nord Pool Clearing ASA and Nord Pool       
Consulting AS from Nord Pool ASA. In addition, the owners of Nord Pool ASA,     
Statnett and Svenska Kraftnät, received an option to sell the shares in Nord    
Pool ASA to NASDAQ OMX at a later date.  Statnett and Svenska Kraftnät have now 
decided to exercise that option. The transaction is subject to regulatory       
approvals. The acquisition does not comprise the Nordic physical electricity    
market operated by Nord Pool Spot AS.                                           

Nord Pool ASA will be a part of NASDAQ OMX Commodities, which is the common     
offering within commodities from the NASDAQ OMX Group. Today's activity in Nord 
Pool ASA will continue from the premises in Lysaker outside of Oslo, Norway.    

“The transaction has strong strategic rationale by reuniting the power and      
carbon derivatives exchange and clearing business under the same parent,        
allowing attractive upside opportunities”, says Geir Reigstad, Head of NASDAQ   
OMX Commodities. “It will broaden the current commodities product range and the 
aim is to attract new financial participants onto the platform and increase     
liquidity and volume”.                                                          


ABOUT NASDAQ OMX COMMODITIES AND NORD POOL ASA                                  
NASDAQ OMX Commodities and Nord Pool ASA provide access to the world's largest  
power derivatives exchange and one of Europe's largest carbon markets. NASDAQ   
OMX Commodities is responsible for the international derivative and carbon      
products offering, and also operates the clearing business and offers consulting
services to commodities markets globally. Agora-X, a US electronic              
communications network for institutional trading in over-the counter (OTC)      
commodity contracts, is a part of NASDAQ OMX Commodities. North American Energy 
Credit and Clearing Business (NECC), a US clearinghouse for the OTC power and   
gas markets, is also a part of NASDAQ OMX Commodities. Together with Nord Pool  
Spot, NASDAQ OMX Commodities has set up N2EX, the marketplace for physical UK   
power contract. Nord Pool ASA is responsible for the exchange operations and    
trading activities, including ownership of the Nordic derivative products.      
NASDAQ OMX Commodities and Nord Pool ASA have more than 390 members from 22     
countries across a wide range of energy producers and consumers, as well as     
financial institutions. NASDAQ OMX Commodities is the common offering from      
NASDAQ OMX Stockholm AB and the Norwegian branch NASDAQ OMX Oslo related to the 
commodities market.                                                             
For more information, please visit www.nasdaqomx.com/commodities and            
www.nordpool.com.                                                               


ABOUT NASDAQ OMX                                                                
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers 
trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, 
with approximately 3,700 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital   
raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings    
market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the   
U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes      
including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and     
exchange-traded funds. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 
exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more   
than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal        
entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki,
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information
about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com.                               


NASDAQ OMX's Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements               
The matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that are made   
under the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about     
NASDAQ OMX's products and offerings. We caution that these statements are not   
guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from     
those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking   
statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond     
NASDAQ OMX's control. These factors include, but are not limited to factors     
detailed in NASDAQ OMX's annual report on Form 10-K, and periodic reports filed 
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to 
release any revisions to any forward-looking statements.                        


Media contacts:                                                                 
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc                                                       
Anna Rasin +46 73 449 66 12                                                     
Anna.rasin@nasdaqomx.com                                                        

NASDAQ OMX Commodities and Nord Pool ASA                                        
Thomas Skålnes  + 47 93 40 73 00                                                
thomas.skalnes@nasdaqomx.com                                                    


NDAQG

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100317_nasdaq omx acquires nord pool.pdf