LSE set to merge with Toronto exchange in £4.2bn deal

The London Stock Exchange is set to acquire the Toronto Stock Exchange in a £4.2bn deal, creating a major trading centre for mining shares.

The groups are said to be in advanced talks and will go ahead if political opposition in Canada, which is sensitive to M&A surrounding its larger institutions, can be overcome. A trans-Atlantic exchange operator of this kind would instantly create a world premier venue for the trading of mining and energy stocks, a sector that has surged with soaring commodity prices, Reuters reports. Some of the largest mining companies are listed in London while Canada's TMX boasts major gold companies as well as junior miners. The BBC reports the venture will have joint market capitalisation of ...