Euronext shareholders today voted in favour of a $28bn (€21bn) tie-up with the New York Stock Exchange in a move that paves the way for the creation of the first transatlantic bourse and leaves the only big remaining hurdle a vote by shareholders in the NYSE. More than 98% of investors backed the deal.

The shareholder approval, granted at an extraordinary general meeting in Amsterdam today, leaves the exchanges free to complete the transaction in the first quarter of next year as planned.