The completion of the merger between the New York Stock Exchange and Archipelago Holdings may be just the beginning for the NYSE. “We want to play a leadership role in the consolidation process,” CEO John Thain told Bloomberg News, which reports that the NYSE is looking into acquiring European exchanges as a way to better serve companies and investors on both sides of the Atlantic. Thain, who refused to say which exchanges he has his eye on, also hinted that he may be looking to extend trading hours beyond the current 9:30-4, though Bloomberg News quotes the CEO as saying there have been objections to such a plan
