Holding(s) in Company

London Stock Exchange Plc
17 December 2004

London Stock Exchange plc

17 December 2004

London Stock Exchange plc received the following letter from Threadneedle
Investments on 17 December 2004.

SECTION 198 COMPANIES ACT 1985

In accordance with the provisions of the above Section, on behalf of American
Express Company and its Group, we would inform you of a notifiable interest in
the shares in your Company, which are held as detailed on the attached schedule.


Registered Owner                                                                   Ordinary 5 5/6p Shares
BNY (OCS) Nominees Ltd                                    A/c 219709                              300,051
BNY (OCS) Nominees Ltd                                    A/c 219720                              317,880
BNY (OCS) Nominees Ltd                                    A/c 219064                              413,018
BNY (OCS) Nominees Ltd                                    A/c 248685                               40,448
BNY (OCS) Nominees Ltd                                    A/c 277304                              105,042
BNY (OCS) Nominees Ltd                                    A/c 277650                              238,311
Banque Internationale a Luxembourg SA                     A/c 1526,1527,1528                       68,311
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 21688                               429,920
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 02891                            17,528,050
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 07198                             1,021,528
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 10478                                21,428
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 35822                                14,405
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 07207                               854,194
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 07205                               440,206
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 10479                                10,371
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 02642                               313,499
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 10488                             1,826,776
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 07199                                35,598
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 10492                               765,272
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 10469                               258,722
Littledown Nominees Ltd                                   A/c 11121                                11,309
Mellon Nominees (UK) Ltd                                  A/c TGGF0004002                         452,576
William & Glyns (Isle of Man) Nominees Ltd                A/c 301780                              115,714
TOTAL                                                                                          25,582,629


Notes

Littledown Nominees Ltd is a nominee for various AXP Group subsidiary companies,
in particular Threadneedle Pensions Ltd.  It also acts for (a) the Depository of
each of Threadneedle Investment ICVC and Threadneedle Specialist Investment
Funds ICVC, which are managed by the AXP Group subsidiary company Threadneedle
Investment Services Ltd; and (b) the trustee of several unit trusts managed by
Eagle Star Unit Managers Ltd, another AXP Group subsidiary company.

Banque Internationale a Luxembourg SA (Dublin Branch) is a nominee for MM
Institutional Funds plc, managed by the AXP Group subsidiary company MM Asset
Management Ltd.

These and any other entities shown as the registrant of shares disclosed in this
notification also act for organisations that are not members of the AXP group of
companies.

AXP is American Express Company, a company incorporated in the USA.

This notification is made on behalf of:

MM Institutional Funds plc; MM Asset Management Ltd;

Eagle Star Unit Managers Ltd;

Threadneedle Investment Funds ICVC and Threadneedle Investment Services Ltd;

Threadneedle Pensions Ltd, Threadneedle Asset Management Ltd and Threadneedle
Asset Management Holdings Ltd; and

American Express Financial Corporation and American Express Company, the
penultimate and ultimate holding companies of the AXP group of companies.

The shares could be available for lending and this could lead to a short-term
re-registration.


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