The New York Stock Exchange's comes out with a major and welcoming decision yesterday to create 400 hi-tech jobs in Northern Ireland. It has been acclaimed as one of the largest US investments to pour into Europe this year.

The Wall Street financial major unraveled plans to expand its outpost in Belfast to provide software services and cater to global money markets.

The mammoth venture was launched at Stormont, where the plan was welcomed as an endorsement of the region's economy and gives an impetus to the on-going peace process.

NYSE chief executive, Duncan Niederauer, joined Northern Ireland first minister Peter Robinson and deputy first minister Martin McGuinness to unveil the project. The US business leader quoted that the personal relationship with Stormont leaders was catalyst in finalising the hailed deal, which comes 18 months after the NYSE took over Belfast-based Wombat Financial Software. The anticipated project was in the pipeline for some time, according to some sources.

Selection procedure for the recruitment for the posts will spread over the next two years. City centre's Adelaide Exchange building will be the strategic base and the venture will create up to 400 job opportunities over the next two to four years. Majority of the jobs will be technical, aimed at computer science graduates and based in Belfast city centre.

Stormont ministers have been striving hard in the US for more investment as part of the peace dividend & last year, industry leaders from 80 US companies attended a conference in Belfast giving an overwhelming response to the efforts.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Northern Ireland last week, where she met business leaders and expressed her confidence over the region’s economy.

The backdrop of strong on-going partnership:

In 2007, New York during the early days ,then DUP leader and First Minister, Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein were seen triggering business at Nasdaq exchange. The duo also met Mr. Niederauer, during the trip and lobbied him on making an investment in Northern Ireland.

The US-based financial group Citi, caters to about 800 employees in a technology service centre in Belfast already.