SIX Group, a financial service platform, completed the acquisition of Bolsas y Mercados Españoles, operator of the Spanish stock exchanges, for $3.1bn. The combination of BME and SIX, both of which are leaders in their domestic financial markets, would create a diversified group with a strong presence across Europe. In addition, SIX believes that the proposed transaction represents an attractive financial proposition for the current shareholders of BME. “A combination with BME will bring direct and immediate benefits to the stakeholders of both our institutions, at a time when consolidation in global financial markets infrastructure is accelerating. This is in line with SIX’s growth strategy and our commitment to serving customers with highly reliable infrastructure services and seamless access to capital markets,” Romeo Lacher, SIX Chairman of the Board. Euronext was in talks to make a counter-offer to SIX, but withdrew its intentions in March 2020.