21.   Merging the three exchanges in Bogota, Cali and Medellin would reduce overlap among the markets and ensure all the listed companies trade on one exchange.

22.   Of the four exchanges, the Chicago Board Options Exchange has the most trading volume.

23.   Nymex, the largest of the three exchanges, is moving to a larger facility in Battery Park City in lower Manhattan.

24.   That would allow them to process stock orders without going through one of the other exchanges and put them in direct competition with the established stock markets.

25.   The agreements allow their contracts to trade on overseas exchanges during off-hours and bring overseas contracts to their own floors when the other exchanges are closed.

26.   The combination could allow the two exchanges to lure companies with more global heft.

27.   The Comex division, which was created more than two years ago when the two exchanges merged, trades contracts on copper, gold and silver.

28.   The daily dollar volume of stocks traded on the largest U.S. exchanges also rose, according to data provided by the three exchanges.

29.   The company said it will continue to provide an indicator of market sentiment through trading on the other exchanges.

30.   The five exchanges hope to meet international securities regulations to allow trading between them.