The London Stock Exchange is trying to convince Dutch brokers to defect from pan-European exchange Euronext to the Sets electronic order book.
The Exchange is looking to make capital from talk of Dutch disaffection with the Euronext integration process and displeasure at the dominance of Paris at the expense of Amsterdam.
The LSE is understood to have made a presentation to 27 Dutch brokers about the creation of an electronic trading system dealing in AEX stocks with integrated central counterparty clearing and netting. The London exchange has been asked to cost up the proposals.
News of the initiative comes as the Exchange reports a nine per cent rise in equity trading in the 11 months to February 28 despite continuing tough market conditions. The rise in volumes stemmed from a 54% surge in electronic trading over Sets, as non-electronic trading dropped by 15% and international bargains fell 20%.