Interim Management Statement

Close Brothers Group PLC
01 November 2007



Embargoed for release 12.30 pm on Thursday 1st November, 2007


                            CLOSE BROTHERS GROUP plc

                          INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT

                               1ST NOVEMBER, 2007

Close Brothers Group plc ("Close Brothers"), the independent merchant bank,
presents its first interim management statement ("IMS") for the financial year
ending 31st July, 2008, as required by the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure and
Transparency Rule 4.3. This IMS will also be presented to those attending the
Close Brothers' Annual General Meeting today.

Financial position and performance

Overall our performance is satisfactory and broadly consistent with our
expectations at the time we announced our Preliminary Results on 24th September,
2007.

Against a background of market volatility, trading has been satisfactory if
somewhat mixed for Asset Management, nevertheless funds under management have
continued to grow.

Our Banking division has achieved loan book and profit growth in line with our
expectations, on the back of good performances from our commercial asset finance
and property businesses. Bad debts remain at low levels.

After a slower than normal start to the year due to the credit crisis, our
Securities division has seen some improvement in market conditions and is now
trading in line with previous years.

Corporate Finance has had a quiet start, but the division remains profitable
across all its operations and continues to build its pipeline.

Liquidity

Customer deposits have increased slightly since the year end and the group
remains conservatively funded with a strong balance sheet.

Highlights

We completed the acquisition of our strategic investment in Mako, the exchange
traded derivatives market maker, at the end of September and it is trading in
line with expectations.

Board changes

In October we announced the appointment of our new finance director, Jonathan
Howell, who is currently finance director of the London Stock Exchange plc. We
expect Jonathan to join Close Brothers in early February 2008.

In September we announced that Peter Buckley would be retiring this year and
that Jamie Cayzer-Colvin would be joining the board as a non-executive director.
Peter Buckley will retire on 31st December, 2007 and Jamie Cayzer-Colvin will
join the board on 1st January, 2008.

Enquiries to:

Colin Keogh Close Brothers 020 7655 3100

Justin Clarke Close Brothers 020 7655 3100

Emma Burdett Maitland 020 7379 5151

Anthony Silverman Maitland 020 7379 5151

Further information on Close Brothers can be found on the company's website at
www.closebrothers.co.uk.



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