NYSE Euronext announced that it has been notified today by Borsa Italiana that it has exercised its call option right to purchase all the shares of MBE Holding controlled by Euronext NV.

MBE Holding is a joint venture entity formed between Euronext (51%) and Borsa Italiana (49%) which owns 60.37% of Società par il Mercato dei Titoli di Stato, or MTS. MTS is a regulated European electronic exchange for government bonds and other types of fixed income securities.

The joint venture agreement between Euronext and Borsa Italiana provides that, in the event of a change of control with respect to one party, the other party has the right to purchase all of the affected party’s shares in MBE Holding at fair market value within 90 days of the change of control. The combination of NYSE Group and Euronext was consummated on April 4. The parties will have three months from today’s date to agree on the fair market value of MBE Holding’s shares.