SETS TRADES CONTINUE TO GROW

The number of trades on SETS™, the London Stock Exchange’s electronic order book, increased to 3.27 million in October 2003, a rise of 23 per cent on the number of trades in October 2002. The value traded on SETS during the month was £73.0 billion, up from £62.2 billion in October 2002. The average daily number of trades on SETS was 142,278, up from 116,144 in October 2002.

The total number of equity trades on the Exchange was 5.38 million in October 2003, up one per cent on October 2002, when there was a total of 5.34 million equity trades. The total value of shares traded this October was £375 billion, down from £387 billion in October 2002.

October saw the strongest month yet in trading of Covered Warrants, with 3,705 trades worth £21.7 million transacted.

On the primary market, there were 21 new issues during October 2003, ten of which were IPOs: two on the UK main market, one on the international market and seven on AIM, raising £1.04 billion between them. This compares with 18 new issues, of which 5 were IPOs, in October 2002.

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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 six 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).

• Retail Trading Figures

  Retail trading figures are available from our website at - http://www.londonstockexchange.com/trading/retailtrade.asp
  Figures are available from November 2002 to date.

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE

MONTHLY FACTSHEET FIGURES

	October 2003
		2003		2002
	DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING	Month	Year to date	Month	Year to date
	Equity Trading Value (£m)	200,299	1,560,049	154,036	1,550,645
	Number of Equity Trades	4,598,411	38,591,365	3,813,602	31,235,934
	INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING
	Equity Trading Value (£m)	174,450	1,455,336	232,906	2,424,621
	Number of Equity Trades	818,125	7,632,440	1,526,571	12,939,069
	ORDER BOOK TRADING
	Order Book Value £m	73,007	599,074	62,178	571,952
	Order Book Trades	3,272,393	27,412,245	2,671,306	19,489,634
		October 2003		October 2002
	DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION £bn		1,324		1,178
	TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES		2,685		2,836
	UK list	1,573		1,717
	Foreign	390		422
	AIM	722		697
	of which techMARK	183		220
		2003		2002
	MONEY RAISED £m	Month	Year to date	Month	Year to date
	UK & AIM New Issues Equity	178	2,014	25	5,051
	Further, Rights and Other	550	4,724	486	11,526
	Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest	12,103	84,990	6,168	60,310
	Int. New Issues Equity	-	100	-	-
	Further, Rights and Other	41	4,889	3,734	5,455
	Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest	8,580	73,333	3,744	62,610
	COMPANIES ADMITTED	21	141	18	198

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