VPC AB and OMX AB (publ) have today signed the final agreements
regarding the merger between the OMX-owned Finnish Central Securities
Depository (APK), and VPC, the Swedish equivalent, as communicated
earlier in the Letter of Intent described in a press release dated April
22, 2004.

The creation of a Finnish-Swedish CSD (NCSD) will further facilitate the
harmonization of rules and settlement processes and promote the
development of a common technology platform, which will accelerate the
horizontal integration of the post-trade part of the securities
transaction chain. This will increase the efficiency and thereby the
competitiveness of the Nordic region as a financial market and provide
benefits for issuers, market participants and investors. NCSD will cover
approximately 75 percent of the total Nordic CSD activities. The
agreement follows the earlier communicated Letter of Intent. The main
features are:

· VPC offers new shares and cash to OMX as consideration for all
outstanding shares in the OMX subsidiary APK.

· OMX and the other four principal owners of VPC - FöreningsSparbanken,
Nordea Bank, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and Svenska Handelsbanken -
each own approximately 19.8 per cent of NCSD, following the transaction.

· Selected Finnish market participants will be invited to become
shareholders or holders of convertible debentures in NCSD.

· NCSD is acquiring a license from OMX for the use of EXIGO CSD in the
Nordic region and with the intent to use EXIGO as a new common
technology platform going forward in close cooperation with market
participants. In addition to the above, NCSD and OMX Technology have
signed a frame agreement regarding development projects for the Finnish
and Swedish markets.

· The transaction values APK at SEK 750 million, including cash
consideration and the value of newly issued shares in NCSD.

· The total value of the technology contracts is SEK 370 million, which
includes the SEK 270 million previously communicated for the license of
EXIGO and an additional SEK 100 million for the frame agreement, to be
distributed over a four-year period.

· The closing of the transaction is expected to take place before the
end of 2004.



Kjell Arvidsson, CEO of VPC and future Group CEO of NCSD:"For a long
time the Nordic CSDs have had a constructive and close dialogue. We
share common views on how to develop the Nordic market model in order to
meet future demands from domestic and international customers. This
transaction will now make it possible to enhance...