The number of trades on SETS™, the London Stock Exchange’s electronic order book, increased to 2.49 million in April 2003, 55 per cent higher than the 1.61 million trades in April 2002. The value traded on SETS decreased by eight per cent to £52.8 billion in April 2003, down from £57.2 billion in April 2002.

The average daily number of trades on SETS was 63 per cent higher at 124,450, up from 76,552 in April 2002. SETS achieved a 64.8 per cent share of eligible trades by value in April 2003, compared with 59.3 per cent in April 2002.

The total number of UK and international trades on the Exchange in April 2003 was 4.29 million, up from 4.18 million in April 2002. There were 20 business days in April 2003 compared with 21 in April 2002.

A year on year decline in the number of international trades to 800,450 in April 2003, down from 1.21 million trades in April 2002, was offset by a 17 per cent increase in the number of UK trades to 3.49 million, compared with 2.97 million in April 2002.

On the primary market there were 16 new issues during April 2003, 6 of which were IPOs - 3 on the Main Market and 3 on AIM, raising £66.6 million. This compares with 12 IPOs in April 2002 – 7 on the Main Market and 5 on AIM.

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Notes to editors:

• About the London Stock Exchange:

  The London Stock Exchange is one of the world’s leading equity exchanges and a leading provider of services that facilitate the raising of capital and the trading of shares.

  The London Stock Exchange is the most international equities exchange by trading in the world and Europe's largest pool of liquidity. By the end of 2002, the market capitalisation of UK and international companies on its markets amounted to £3.1 trillion, with £4.6 trillion of equity business transacted over the year.

  The London Stock Exchange is a Recognised Investment Exchange (RIE) under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and is supervised by the Financial Services Authority.

• SETS – the electronic order book.

  It is now five years since the launch of SETS and the service continues to go from strength to strength. Overall, the market is benefiting from tighter spreads and greater liquidity. Usage of SETS continues to grow, as shown by recent record increases in the number of orders entered, the number of firms using the order book and order book share of business.

  Indices are calculated and managed by FTSE Group, a world-leader in the creation and management of global equity indices. The FTSE Group is jointly owned by the London Stock Exchange and the Financial Times, but operates as a wholly autonomous company.

  For information about the company or any FTSE indices, please contact media@ftse.com

  IPO - when a new company joins our market raising money. This excludes transfers and introductions (a company that joins a market without raising money).

  LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE
  MONTHLY FACTSHEET FIGURES
  

  	April 2003
  		2003		2002
  	DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING	Month	Year to date	Month	Year to date
  	Equity Trading Value (£m)	133,683	551,901	164,129	614,143
  	Number of Equity Trades	3,488,392	14,710,575	2,970,953	11,416,855
  	INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING
  	Equity Trading Value (£m)	122,404	545,844	263,121	1,007,342
  	Number of Equity Trades	800,450	3,642,102	1,209,001	5,198,504
  	ORDER BOOK TRADING
  	Order Book Value £m	52,784	227,370	57,189	215,012
  	Order Book Trades	2,489,005	10,823,918	1,607,602	6,243,673
  		April 2003		April 2002
  	DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION £bn		1,163		1,538
  	TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES		2,760		2,877
  	UK list	1,649		1,792
  	Foreign	406		441
  	AIM	705		644
  	of which techMARK	203		236
  		2003		2002
  	MONEY RAISED £m	Month	Year to date	Month	Year to date
  	UK & AIM New Issues Equity	73	109	289	1,938
  	Further, Rights and Other	83	710	1,679	5,774
  	Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest	8,258	35,621	9,175	28,065
  	Int. New Issues Equity	-	-	-	-
  	Further, Rights and Other	3,783	3,908	1,074	1,248
  	Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest	7,774	31,902	5,540	25,098
  	COMPANIES ADMITTED	16	42	21	73

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