NYSE Euronext to sell stakes in AMEX unit- WSJ

With an eye on strengthening its U.S.options-trading business, NYSE Euronext plans to sell stakes in its NYSE Amex options unit to seven major Wall Street firms, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday.

Under the agreement, which is likely to be announced later on Wednesday, the New York Stock Exchange parent company's stake may be reduced to less than 50 percent but it will remain the largest shareholder, the paper said.

Units of Bank of America Corp, Barclays PLC, Citadel Investment Group, Citigroup Inc, Goldman Sachs Group Inc, TD Ameritrade Holding Corp and UBS AG will become partners in NYSE Amex, according to the paper.

NYSE Euronext officials declined to disclose financial terms of the deal to the paper.

A spokesman for NYSE Euronext could not be immediately reached for comment by Reuters after outside of regular U.S.business hours.