Euronext, the pan-European stock exchange, is introducing new listing rules in order to revitalise the Nouveau Marché, its struggling French technology segment, despite the closure of other growth markets across Europe.

The Deutsche Börse has closed down the Neuer Markt and Nasdaq, the US exchange, has announced the closure of both Nasdaq Europe and its German venture Nasdaq Deutschland. There were 45 initial public offerings (IPOs) raising €1.5bn ($1.7bn) on the Nouveau Marché during the technology boom in 2000, which shrunk to just two deals in 2002, raising €14.3m. So far this year there have not been any Nouveau Marché IPOs, according to Dealogic, the investment banking research firm. The Nouveau Marché's market capitalisation is €7.6bn, compared with €24.2bn at the end of 2000.