ICE, NYSE Euronext face fees if deal falls through

InterContinentalExchange (ICE) would have to pay NYSE Euronext $750 million if their merger is blocked by regulatory or competition authorities, according to an SEC filing published Friday. The Securities and Exchange Commission filing details the $8.2 billion deal, announced Thursday, that would create the world's biggest market operator. Subject to regulatory approvals, it is expected to be finalized in the second half of next year. The $750 million fine is one of several termination fees the two entities could face if their deal falls apart. If the takeover is completed, the New York Stock Exchange's nearly 200-year existence as an independent financial market will come to an end, while Atlanta-based ICE will substantially expand its profile. In the filing, the two entities are referred to as the "Yankees" and the "Braves," in reference to the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees, the respective baseball teams in the cities.