NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse said this morning they would divest parts of their equity derivatives business and allow partial access to the German exchange's Eurex clearing house in an effort to secure regulatory approval for their controversial merger.

Will Rhode, a senior analyst at Tabb Group, said: "This is the surest sign yet of how far Deutsche Börse and NYSE Euronext are prepared to go to see the completion of its merger. There is a good chance that they might now succeed."