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Investments
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3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2014
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| Investments [Abstract] | |
| Investments | 6. Investments Trading Securities Trading securities, which are included in financial investments, at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, were $192 million as of March 31, 2014 and $189 million as of December 31, 2013. These securities are primarily comprised of Swedish government debt securities, of which $177 million as of March 31, 2014 and $167 million as of December 31, 2013, are assets utilized to meet regulatory capital requirements primarily for our clearing operations at NASDAQ OMX Nordic Clearing. Available-for-Sale Investment Securities Available-for-sale investment securities, which are included in financial investments, at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, were $5 million as of March 31, 2014. There were no available-for-sale investment securities as of December 31, 2013. These securities are primarily comprised of short-term commercial paper. For the three months ended March 31, 2014, the unrealized holding gain/(loss) associated with these available-for-sale investment securities was immaterial. Equity Method Investments The carrying amounts of our equity method investments totaled $29 million as of March 31, 2014 and $30 million as of December 31, 2013 and are included in other non-current assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. At March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our equity method investments consisted primarily of our equity interests in EuroCCP N.V. and TOM. See “EMCF and EuroCCP Merger,” and “Acquisition of Dutch Cash Equities and Equity Derivatives Trading Venue,” of Note 4, “Acquisitions,” for further discussion. Income recognized from our equity interest in the earnings and losses of these equity method investments was immaterial for both the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. Cost Method Investments The carrying amounts of our cost method investments totaled $144 million as of March 31, 2014 and are included in other non-current assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2014, our cost method investments represent our 5% ownership interest in Borsa Istanbul and our 5% ownership in LCH Clearnet Group Limited, or LCH. As of December 31, 2013, our cost method investment totaled $65 million and consisted of our 5% ownership interest in LCH. We account for these investments as cost method investments as we do not control and do not exercise significant influence over Borsa Istanbul or LCH and there is no readily determinable fair value of these shares since they are not publicly traded. The Borsa Istanbul shares, which were issued to us in the first quarter of 2014, are part of the consideration to be received under a market technology agreement. This investment has a cost basis of $75 million which is guaranteed to us via a put option negotiated as part of the market technology agreement.
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