Deutsche Boerse AG says its fourth-quarter net profit rose 6.3 percent to (EURO)152.7 million ($203.84 million), but that its full-year earnings fell almost 25 percent.

The Frankfurt, Germany-based exchange operator had reported a profit of (EURO)143.7 million for the same quarter of 2011.

It said in a statement Tuesday that full-year earnings for 2012 were down to (EURO)645 million from (EURO)855.2 million a year earlier.

The company has suffered the effects of weak trading volumes as investors remain cautious about the state of eurozone economies.

Deutsche Boerse was blocked by European regulators earlier this year from purchasing rival NYSE Euronext.