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The planned $8.2bn acquisition of NYSE Euronext by Atlanta's IntercontinentalExchange reassembles a group of bankers that just 10 months ago were working on NYSE's ill-fated merger with Deutsche Börse.

The group of advisers working on the Ice-NYSE merger have also worked on many of the other large M&A deals in the exchange sector over the past year. One advisory banker covering the industry likened the sector to 1980s sitcom 'Cheers', whose theme tune was 'Where everybody knows your name'.

JP Morgan advised the Atlanta exchange on its ultimately unsuccessful bid for the London Metal Exchange this year. JP Morgan and Societe Generale both represented Deutsche Börse when it was in negotiations with NYSE.

The Ice-NYSE deal is the first time Wells Fargo has picked up an advisory mandate from Ice, according to Dealogic.