CME CME Group Inc

CHICAGO, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) today announced that it, along with Class representatives, had reached a definitive settlement agreement with CBOE related to CME Group, Inc., et al. v. Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc. et al commonly known as the Exercise Right lawsuit. Under the settlement terms, eligible settlement class members will share in CBOE equity and will also receive a cash payment: -- Equity will be distributed to eligible settlement class members equal to 18 percent of the equity to be distributed to them and CBOE members in CBOE's demutualization. -- Cash payments will be made to eligible settlement class members in the aggregate amount of $300 million. As part of the agreement, the appeal of the SEC order will be withdrawn and the parties have agreed that upon final approval of the settlement by the court there will no longer be any persons eligible to become CBOE members under the Exercise Right. All claims that were or could have been brought in the Delaware court will be dismissed. As a result, CBOE will be free to demutualize and has agreed to take reasonable steps to demutualize as soon as commercially possible. The settlement terms are subject to approval of CBOE members as well as the Delaware Chancery Court. Specific details regarding the terms of the settlement are set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement which will be available on the CME's and the CBOT's websites. Also, a Class Notice describing the settlement terms will be mailed to potential class members shortly. CME Group (http://www.cmegroup.com/) is the world's largest and most diverse derivatives exchange. Formed by the 2007 merger of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), CME Group serves the risk management needs of customers around the globe. As an international marketplace, CME Group brings buyers and sellers together on the CME Globex electronic trading platform and on its trading floors. CME Group offers the widest range of benchmark products available across all major asset classes, including futures and options based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, agricultural commodities, and alternative investment products such as weather and real estate. CME Group is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "CME." Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking information regarding Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. and CBOT Holdings, Inc. and the combined company after the completion of the merger that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for "forward-looking statements" provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, the benefits of the business combination transaction involving CME and CBOT, including future financial and operating results, the new company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based on current beliefs, expectations, forecasts and assumptions of CME and CBOT's management which are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual outcomes and result to differ materially from these statements. Other risks and uncertainties relating to the proposed transaction include, but are not limited to the satisfaction of conditions to closing; including receipt of shareholder, member, antitrust, regulatory and other approvals on the proposed terms; the proposed transaction may not be consummated on the proposed terms; uncertainty of the expected financial performance of CME following completion of the proposed transaction; CME may not be able to achieve the expected cost savings, synergies and other strategic benefits as a result of the proposed transaction; the integration of CBOT with CME's operations may not be successful or may be materially delayed or may be more costly or difficult than expected; general industry and market conditions; general domestic and international economic conditions; and governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations. For more information regarding other related risks, see Item 1A of CME's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006. Copies of said 10-K is available online at http://www.sec.gov/ or on request from the CME. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except for any obligation to disclose material information under the Federal securities laws, CME undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward- looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. CME-G DATASOURCE: CME Group CONTACT: Media, Allan Schoenberg, +1-312-930-8189, or Mary Haffenberg, +1-312-930-3435, , or Investors, John Peschier, +1-312-930-8491, all of CME Group; or Media - Class, Gordon Nash, +1-312-569-1384, , for CME Group Web site: http://www.cme.com/

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