CEOs Offer Insight into Response to Economic Crisis and Actions Taken to Move Forward in NYSE Euronext 2010 CEO Report: "The Road to Recovery"

NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
A broad U.S. economic recovery in 2010 will be followed by a slower global
rebound in 201l or later, according to approximately half of nearly 300 CEOs
surveyed in the newly released fifth annual NYSE Euronext CEO Report, entitled
"The Road to Recovery," conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. While a large
majority of CEOs favor business tax cuts, low interest rates and lending to spur
the economic recovery, U.S. and non-U.S. CEOs are split with respect to the
intervention of government in business, yet agree on the need to restructure
America`s financial regulatory system, streamline corporate governance measures,
and align U.S. and international accounting standards. The NYSE Euronext 2010
CEO Report is available at: www.nysemagazine.com.

"The NYSE Euronext CEO Report 2010 reveals how CEOs have been forced to analyze
their past habits and significantly change the way they operate today and plan
for tomorrow," said Jeff Resnick, President of Opinion Research Corporation.
"Despite the troubled economy, CEOs have been able to find silver linings, from
retaining and hiring skilled staff to strengthening corporate governance. U.S.
CEOs and their non-U.S. counterparts have different views on government
intervention and other matters, but they generally agree on the needs to be
innovative yet disciplined to successfully emerge from the economic crisis."

Added Duncan L. Niederauer, CEO, NYSE Euronext, "Global CEOs are responsibly
addressing the challenges brought on by the financial crisis, and are employing
genuine operational discipline and planning for the future. They are focused on
maintaining a strong balance sheet and on corporate competitiveness, and are
identifying new growth opportunities and ways to build stakeholder value. I
share their concerns on the recession`s impact on entrepreneurship and venture
capital investment. Moreover, the results show that CEOs throughout the world
want to do their utmost to contribute to the recovery and to be part of the
solution."

NYSE Euronext CEO Report 2010, Summary and Findings

Unlike prior surveys, the fifth annual NYSE CEO Report has one dominating theme
which emerges on almost every question - the economy. The global economic
crisis, combined with the ensuing credit crunch, has forced companies to make
changes in many areas of their business. While economic difficulties in last
year`s study were largely confined to the financial services sector, this year
they affect companies in all industries, globally.

* CEOs of U.S.-based companies are significantly gloomier than CEOs based at
companies outside the U.S. This is sharply different from just two years ago,
when 84% of CEOs at U.S.-based companies thought the U.S. economy was in
excellent or good shape, significantly more positive than the evaluation of CEOs
based outside the U.S. during the same time period. Additionally, there is a
strong dichotomy of opinion concerning the appropriateness of government
intervention in business - U.S. CEOs generally disapprove while their non-U.S.
counterparts approve.
* While companies are making budget cuts almost across the board,
customer-relations and shareholder relationship management have remained much
less affected. This would indicate the CEOs are taking a long-term view of the
importance of these areas, regardless of the current financial restraints.

Highlights

* Nearly nine in ten CEOs believe the global financial markets have performed
poorly during the crisis, with nearly half saying they have performed very
poorly. Large percentages seek restructuring or streamlining of the U.S.
regulatory system, as well as easing of certain corporate governance rules in
order to produce more stable and efficient global financial markets. A
convergence of U.S. and international accounting standards is also high on the
list of CEOs of non-U.S.-based companies, although it is less important to their
counterparts in the U.S.
* In spite of the downturn, most CEOs acknowledge their companies have gained
some benefits from the downturn with larger market share, contract
renegotiations and acquiring new employee talent among the most commonly
mentioned positives.
* There is a sharp difference of opinion between CEOs of U.S.-based companies
and those outside the U.S. on government funding of companies during financial
crises, with two-thirds of U.S. CEOs opposed and a similar percentage of those
outside the U.S. supportive.
* On what was the most important decision in helping guide their companies
through the current turmoil, CEOs focused on reducing expenses and debt through
a variety of means in order to strengthen their company`s balance sheet.
* Similarly, when asked what change they would make to help their companies
through future market turmoil, the most common answers revolve around
controlling costs and debt and remaining highly liquid.

Business Opportunities and Challenges

* Securing finance tops the list as the internal factor having a greater impact
on revenue growth through 2010, with the strength of the management team a close
second.
* As was the case last year, operational efficiency and management stand out as
the internal factors expected to have more impact on profitability. CEOs have
downgraded the importance of new technology and products, partnerships and
advertising/marketing.
* The expected impact of compliance costs has declined by 22 points since 2006.
* The expected impact of health-care costs have dropped 23 points in the past
two years, likely indicating that CEOs believe they may have done all they can
to reduce these costs.
* CEOs view U.S. and global economic conditions as the most important external
influences on their companies` overall growth through 2010, with the proportion
of CEOs who rank these as `much more important` having increased markedly since
last year.
* CEOs think metrics related to company financial soundness, such as outstanding
debt, credit ratings, and cash flow, are much more important to shareholders
than they were three years ago while various types of growth (sales, operating,
earnings-per-share) are less important.
* Trends in interest rates continue to have the most influence on business
planning, although CEOs are including a greater number of new measures than
several years ago.
* About eight in ten CEOs think M&A market opportunities are `exceptional` or
`good` through 2010, with CEOs of companies based outside the U.S. particularly
upbeat about M&A potential. One-fourth of CEOs see the M&A opportunities as
`exceptional.`

Outlays and Expectations

* Unlike previous years, when CEOs expected net budget increases for almost all
areas, they anticipate net increases through 2010 for only customer-relationship
management, healthcare, technology, environmental compliance and investor
relations. The results for customer-relationship management and investor
relations indicate that CEOs are thinking long-term and are aware of the
importance of preserving goodwill toward their companies during lean times so
they can capitalize on it in good times.
* CEOs expect significant reductions in capital expenditures, raw materials,
executive compensation and recruitment costs.
* Compared with three years ago, CEOs say they are experiencing much more
difficulty attracting and retaining investors, and slightly more difficulty
doing the same with customers. Conversely, it is a buyers market for human
talent.

Global Operations

* As in previous years, the United States is the region CEOs most frequently
cite as crucial for their business through 2010. The U.S. is followed by Western
Europe and China.
* Presumably due to the significant drop in international trade volume, far more
CEOs than in previous years say their companies are unfavorably impacted by the
global trade environment. As in previous years, companies based outside the U.S.
are more influenced by the trade environment, which is currently affecting them
very unfavorably.
* About half of CEOs view emerging markets as an opportunity for their
companies, while only 3% say they are threat. Of those who view emerging markets
as opportunities, half are establishing or expanding local marketing and sales
activities in these countries to maximize the opportunity, while most of the
rest are investing in locally-owned facilities or partnering with local vendors.

* About half of CEOs say their companies have moved operations offshore or did
so in the past, little changed compared with two years ago. One-third of CEOs
believe outsourcing offers less economic value than five years ago. CEOs of U.S.
companies in particular think outsourcing offers less value, while those at
companies based outside the U.S. are less convinced.

Corporate Governance

* Half of CEOs say their companies have made changes to executive compensation
plans in the past year, including over half of CEOs at U.S.-based companies. Far
more have put in place cuts or freezes rather than increases in executive
salaries, bonuses, raises and benefits and perks. The most common perks targeted
for cuts or elimination are air travel expenses, club fees and memberships,
pensions and auto expenses.

The CEO Role

* After increasing for two years, the percentage of CEOs who think the CEO role
is more rewarding plummeted this year by 22 points. Virtually all (98%) still
think the job is more time-consuming.
* Compared with three years ago, the largest percentage of CEOs say they are
spending more time reporting to and working with their Boards. As in previous
years, CEOs of U.S.-based companies report spending more time than their
non-U.S. counterparts on regulatory and compliance issues, as well as executive
compensation.

Corporate Social Responsibility

* CEOs feel the most important corporate responsibility task is ensuring all
labor practices are ethical across their organization, followed by formalizing
policies related to corporate responsibility. The economy has affected which CSR
actions CEOs think are most important, with `green` practices and increased
charitable giving falling down the list, while formalizing positions and
policies has increased in importance.

Reputation

* There has been gradual erosion in the percentage of CEOs who say they take as
much action as they should to protect the reputation of their companies. This
metric has fallen ten points since it was first asked in 2006.
* Three in four CEOs think improved company practices and improved behavior of
corporate executives are the best ways to ensure the ethical business behavior
of senior corporate executives; only one in four think government involvement
would have a positive impact. This is one issue where CEOs of U.S. and
non-U.S.-based companies are in agreement.

Background on the NYSE Euronext CEO Report 2010

A record 284 CEOs, representing 23 industries and 24 countries, participated in
the NYSE Euronext CEO Report 2010. Of that total, 195 responses were from the
U.S.; 48 from Europe and the U.K.; 12 from Latin America; nine from the
Asia-Pacific region; and 18 from Canada and Bermuda. One each was from South
Africa and Israel. Some 18% of companies had $3 billion or more in market
capitalization; 19% had $1 billion to less than $3 billion; 13% had $500 million
to less than $1 billion; and 50% had less than $500 million. Opinion Research
Corp., an independent global strategy and market research and consulting
organization, conducted the survey via the Internet, phone and mail from March 5
to April 13, 2009.

About NYSE Euronext

NYSE Euronext (NYX) is the world`s most diverse exchange group, offering a broad
and growing array of financial products and services in Europe and the United
States that include cash equities, futures, options, exchange-traded products,
bonds, market data, and commercial technology solutions. With over 8,000 listed
issues globally, NYSE Euronext's equities markets -- the New York Stock
Exchange, Euronext, NYSE Arca, and NYSE Amex -- represent nearly 40% of the
world's cash equities trading volume, the most liquidity of any global exchange
group. NYSE Euronext also operates NYSE Liffe, the leading European derivatives
business and the world`s second largest derivatives business by value of
trading. NYSE Euronext offers comprehensive global commercial technology,
connectivity, and market data products and services through its innovative
trading solutions unit, NYSE Technologies. NYSE Euronext is part of the S&P 500
index and the only exchange operator in the S&P 100 index. For more information,
please visit: www.nyx.com.

About Opinion Research Corporation

Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) is a leading global market research firm with
offices across the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific region. ORC offers the unique
ability to integrate primary and secondary research, competitive intelligence
and expert insight to address the business challenges of its clients worldwide.
The company has been a partner of CNN on the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
poll since 2006. To learn more about ORC, visit www.opinionresearch.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are
not limited to, statements concerning NYSE Euronext`s plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical or
current facts. Forward-looking statements are based on NYSE Euronext`s current
expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause NYSE Euronext`s results to differ
materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: NYSE
Euronext`s ability to implement its strategic initiatives, economic, political
and market conditions and fluctuations, government and industry regulation,
interest rate risk and U.S. and global competition, and other factors detailed
in NYSE Euronext`s reference document for 2008 ("document de référence") filed
with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (Registered on April 28, 2009
under No. R. 09-031), 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic reports
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the French Autorité
des Marchés Financiers. In addition, these statements are based on a number of
assumptions that are subject to change. Accordingly, actual results may be
materially higher or lower than those projected. The inclusion of such
projections herein should not be regarded as a representation by NYSE Euronext
that the projections will prove to be correct. This press release speaks only as
of this date. NYSE Euronext disclaims any duty to update the information herein.

NYSE Euronext
Stephanie Scotto, 212-656-4896
sscotto@nyx.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009