America may be the wealthiest nation in the world, but Germany's not very behind.
As the largest bank in Europe, the fact that Deutshe Borse and NYSE are in merger discussions comes as little surprise to most analysts and traders.
Having said that, any merger will have a somewhat uphill battle, as the exchange markets have been performing sub-optimally for the past few years.
Since the beginning of 2008 NYSE Euronext is down, the CME Group has lost more than half of its value, NASDAQ OMX is down and the Intercontinental Exchange has seen losses.
Though these losses can be reversed, the consistent downward trend will take years to reverse.
Even with a large-scale merger, there's a lot of catching up to do for these American markets to move towards former highs.
The declines are still present for a few reasons.
In addition to the obvious dips created by the financial crisis, new exchanges and electronic marketplaces are offering previously unseen competition for the previously behemoth markets.
There are over 50 American trading venues today.
If you have questions about where your money is being traded, or if you are interested in starting retirement investing, speak with a financial advisor or investment advisor.
Certified investment advisors often work as fee-based investment advisors, which means that they only get paid when your stocks increase in value.
Because of this you can trust that they will be working with your best interest in mind whether you are saving for retirement or working on college finances.
If you are interested in learning more about this major merger and how it will affect your 401k and other investments, speak with your financial advisor.