Deutsche Boerse won US antitrust approval to buy NYSE Euronext in a $9 billion deal to create the world’s No 1 exchange operator, but the transaction still faces serious regulatory headwinds in Europe.

The Justice Department said on Thursday that the deal, which was announced in February, won US approval on condition a Deutsche Boerse subsidiary, the International Securities Exchange, divest its 31.5 per cent interest in Direct Edge. There have been few critics of the deal in the US, despite the NYSE’s symbolism as a bastion of American capitalism. The exchange was founded in 1792 when share trading began on a block now designated as Wall Street.

Deutsche Boerse and NYSE must also continue to provide some services, under the Justice Department approval, to Direct Edge, the fourth-largest US stock exchange operator, behind NYSE Euronext, Nasdaq OMX and BATS Exchange.

– (Reuters)