NYSE Group Inc., owner of the New York Stock Exchange, reported net income of 45.5 million dollars, or 0.29 dollar per diluted share, for the three months ending Dec. 31, 2006, a 65.8 million dollars increase as compared to a 20.3 million dollars loss for the same period last year.

For the year ending Dec. 31, 2006, net income and diluted earnings per share on a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ( GAAP) basis were 205.0 million dollars and 1.36 dollars, respectively, the NYSE group said in its latest report.

This compares to GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share of 40.7 million dollars and 35 cents, respectively, for the year ending Dec. 31, 2005 . On a non-GAAP basis, net income increased 188 percent to 258.8 million dollars, while diluted earnings per share increased 193 percent to 1.64 dollars.

"NYSE Group experienced an extraordinary year in 2006. Beginning with the close of the Archipelago transaction and subsequent secondary offering which established the NYSE Group as a public company, we are successfully transforming the NYSE," said NYSE Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Nelson Chai.

"Our recently announced agreement to acquire 5 percent of the National Stock Exchange, India's largest financial marketplace, and our strategic alliance with the Tokyo Stock Exchange are a strong start to the new year," he added.

"In 2007, we will finalize the roll out of our Hybrid Market, deliver against the integration targets in conjunction with the Archipelago transaction and complete the Euronext transaction," said Nelson.

Source: Xinhua