Nasdaq said to mull Philadelphia deal

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Nasdaq Stock Market Inc., the nation's second-largest stock exchange, is in talks to acquire the Philadelphia Stock Exchange in an effort to expand its options offerings, according to a report published online.

The Wall Street Journal's online edition, in a Wednesday-dated story, cited people familiar with the situation in saying the two exchanges have been talking for months, and that a deal isn't imminent. It said any deal would take several weeks to complete.

The article values the Philadelphia exchange at between $250 million and $300 million.

Shares of Nasdaq (Charts), second in size to NYSE (Charts), rose 8 cents to $29.63 Tuesday.

---

NYSE Euronext exchange launches in Paris