Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX)’s succession of record seat prices has led to many to consider that it will soon be the subject of a takeover approach. The exchange posted a record seat sale on 1 August, pushing the membership price to $215,000. The transaction marked a 295% jump in seat prices since January when a membership sold for $73,000. Since then, 54 memberships have traded, or 20% more than the same period a year ago. The $215,000 seat purchase topped the prior record of $200,000 set two days earlier.In the wake of the Chicago Board of Trade (CBoT) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange deal and a $50m bid for neighboring exchange Winnipeg Commodity Exchange (WCE) by an unnamed firm, many in the industry are wondering if the run-up in seat prices at MGEX indicates it will be the next to merge or be acquired.“Our focus is on growing the business,” Mark...