Market rumors and speculation has been about that other exchanges would either go private or would merger together after this mega-exchange merger between NYSE Euronext, Inc. (NYSE: NYX) and IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE). The first of the formal rumors in this exchange M&A is now Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: NDAQ).

The Wall Street Journal has discussed that private equity player The Carlyle Group LP (NASDAQ: CG) has held discussions with NASDAQ OMX about possibly going private. The talk is that the private equity group approached the electronic trading exchange but it is also said that talks are not ongoing as the two companies did not see eye to eye on price. The tie here is that NASDAQ’s former CFO is now the Carlyle CFO.

We have said that exchange mergers are likely to consider as long investors understand that regulatory risks are…