In an era when trading is hitting warp speed, several European exchanges are trying to slow markets down. Auctions, which some exchanges already hold at the start and end of each day to benchmark prices, are coming into fashion for other purposes.

The London Stock Exchange will introduce a two-minute auction at noon for all UK stocks from late 2015. The auction would coincide with a similar one operated by German exchange Deutsche Börse and is designed to put pressure on other bourses to follow suit, the LSE said. Nasdaq's Nordic exchanges and Norway's Oslo Børs also operate intraday auctions but only for small-cap stocks.