The News York Stock Exchange/Euronext (NYX) is being sold to a little known competitor out of Atlanta, Intercontinental Exchange.  ICE is a twelve-year-old company that invests in futures.  It purchased the NYSE for a reported $8 billion dollars.  In a press release, ICE Jeffrey Sprecher said, “we believe the combined company will be better positioned to compete and serve customers across a broad range of asset classes by uniting our global brands, expertise and infrastructure.”  Interestingly the least attractive part of the deal, despite its name recognition, is the NYSE.  The reason for the purchase, is to obtain a London-based futures exchange company.  A joint hostile takeover last year between ICE and NASDAX OMX Group, (NDAQ), operator of the NASDAQ, was blocked by the US Justice Department because it believed the group would have too much dominance over the stock listings.  Most trading today is done electronically so the Stock Exchange building itself is nothing more than an iconic, old building.  A large part of the trading floor is taken by CNBC which broadcasts from there.  According to Jonathan Berr, “ICE will retain the NYSE Euronext brand and will maintain dual headquarters in Atlanta and New York”. The company’s New York headquarters will be located in the Wall Street building.  After the announcement, shares of the New York Stock Exchange soared $7.89 or 33% to $31.95.  Shares of ICE’s stock fell $1.43 to $126.80.