Acquisition of shares by ESOT

Close Brothers Group PLC
13 March 2008



Close Brothers Group plc (the "Company") announces that Bedell Trustees Limited
(the "Trustee") as Trustee of the Close Brothers Group Employee Share Trust
acquired 25,000 ordinary shares in the Company ("Shares") on 11 March 2008 at an
average price of 595p per Share and 75,000 ordinary shares in the Company
("Shares") on 12 March 2008 at an average price of 592p per Share. These Shares
will be used in due course to satisfy options and awards under the Company's
employee share schemes.

Following the acquisition of these Shares, the Trustee now holds 2,938,908
Shares. The executive directors of the Company are for Companies Act purposes
deemed to be interested in all of these Shares.



Robin Sellers                                                      13 March 2008
Company Secretary


020 7655 3100



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange