NYSE Euronext 2Q profit rises 21 percent

NYSE Euronext Inc., the trans-Atlantic stock exchange operator, posted a 21 percent increase in second-quarter profits as transaction volume rose.

The earnings results missed Wall Street expectations, however, and its shares fell almost 13 percent in morning trading.

The New York-based parent of the New York Stock Exchange and Euronext said earnings rose to $195 million, or 73 cents per share, in the three months ended June 30 from $161 million, or 62 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding merger costs and other items, earnings rose 17 percent to $200 million, or 75 cents a share.

On average, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial forecast a …