Market report - April 2006

London Stock Exchange Plc
10 May 2006



10 May 2006

MR58-4.06



                  VALUE TRADED ON SETS UP 52 PER CENT IN APRIL


Trading on the London Stock Exchange during April continued its very strong
growth trends.  The average daily value of trades on SETS during April was up 52
per cent year on year to £6 billion, while the average daily number of trades
increased 42 per cent to 283,908.


Included in the SETS figures, SETSmm and the International Order Book both
achieved excellent growth.  SETSmm had a record month, with the average daily
number of trades up 121 per cent on April 2005 to 57,223, and the average daily
value traded up 96 per cent to £476.8 million.  On the International Order Book,
the average daily value traded increased 211 per cent on April 2005 to £250.6
million and the average daily number of trades increased 123 per cent to 2,469.


In total, the average daily value traded in UK equities was up 40 per cent on
April last year to £13.4 billion, while the average daily number of trades was
up 36 per cent to 337,145.


ETF trading continued to set new records.  The average daily value traded was up
137 per cent on April last year to £71.5 million, taking the total value traded
during the month to £1.3 billion.  The average daily number of ETF trades
increased 177 per cent on the same month last year to 1,327.


The value traded in covered warrants and structured products during the month
amounted to £107.6 million, a huge increase on the £12.2 million traded during
April 2005.

There were nine IPOs on the Exchange's Main Market in April, which raised £325.8
million between them.  This included three IPOs from international companies,
which raised a total of £152.4 million.  AIM attracted 26 IPOs during April,
raising £1.0 billion between them.  Of these, seven were IPOs from international
companies, which raised a total of £308.6 million.



RNS, the Exchange's service for the dissemination of company news, transmitted
an average of 762 announcements per day, up 25 per cent  on April 2005.  An
average of 273 news and results announcements were disseminated each day,
representing an 86 per cent share of all company news and results announcements
made in the UK.



There were 18 trading days during April 2006, three fewer than April 2005.



                                    - ends -



For further information, please contact:
Catherine Mattison                           Press Office   [phone]
[e-mail]





Notes to editors:



•          About the London Stock Exchange



The London Stock Exchange is the world's premier international equity exchange
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 2005, the
market capitalisation of UK and international companies on the London Stock
Exchange's markets amounted to £4.1 trillion, with £5.2 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.



Companies considering flotation have a choice of markets:



AIM

AIM is the London Stock Exchange's international market specifically designed
for smaller, growing companies, combining the benefits of a public flotation
with appropriate levels of regulation.



Main Market

The London Stock Exchange's Main Market for established companies seeking
international recognition is one of the world's best known, longest-established
and most liquid markets.  It is home to some of the world's largest and most
successful companies, giving them access to one of the deepest pools of capital
in the world.





Professional Securities Market

The Professional Securities Market was established in July 2005, to coincide
with the introduction of the FSA's new Listing Rules.  PSM provides a solution
for those issuers seeking to list securities in London without having to
re-state their financial information to IFRS or follow the additional
requirements of an offering to retail investors.  Debt securities or depository
receipts of any denomination may be listed on PSM on production of a prospectus
aimed at a wholesale or professional audience.







•     IPO



An IPO or Initial Public Offering is when a new company joins one of our markets
and raises capital by issuing shares.  This excludes transfers and introductions
(when companies join the market without raising money).





•        Indices

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
[e-mail]





  •        SETS - the electronic order book



It is over eight 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.





•         SETSmm



SETSmm is the Exchange's successful trading service for FTSE 250 and other
leading non order book securities.  By combining the best features of the
existing SETS and SEAQ trading services, SETSmm appeals to market users who want
to trade electronically, as well as those customers who use the market making
system.





•      Retail Trading Figures



Retail trading figures are available from our website at -

www.londonstockexchange.com/en-gb/products/membershiptrading/retailtradestat

Figures are available from November 2002 to date.





LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE - MONTHLY FACTSHEET FIGURES
 2006
                                        April 2006                       April 2005
DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING                 Month            Year to date    Month             Year to date

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    241,631       1,101,981          201,283            822,841
Number of Equity Trades                    6,068,618      27,034,807        5,206,215         20,440,487


INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    233,099       1,172,141          205,538            831,551
Number of Equity Trades                    1,284,010       7,059,395        1,286,554          4,982,794


ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value (£m)                         108,021         483,155            82,745          320,041
Order Book Trades                           5,110,343      22,516,552         4,202,191       16,255,319


                                                      April 2006               April 2005

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION (£bn)                                 1,967                           1,483

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                                            3,169                           2,942
Main Market UK                                        1,332                    1,435
Main Market International                                326                      341
of which techMARK                                        145                      161
AIM                                                   1,501                    1,166
Professional Securities Market (Equity only)              10                   -


                                                April 2006                       April 2005
MONEY RAISED (£m)                              Month       Year to date         Month        Year to date


Equity Money Raised:
  New issues: Main Market UK                           195           1,318               205           792
  New issues: Main Market International                152           2,552                19         1,034
  New issues:  AIM                                   1,093           3,146               418           954
  Further issues: Main Market UK                       680           1,722               346         1,576
  Further issues: Main Market                          287             616                 -            69
International
  Further issues: AIM                                  813           1,990               243           591
  PSM (new & further, UK & International)                -             527                 -             -

COMPANIES ADMITTED                                      48             196                59           211
                                                    

Debt Money Raised (£m)
  Main Market UK                                   9,653       46,140                 14,481           51,324
  Main Market International                       22,912       68,552                 10,283           32,571
  PSM (  PSM (UK & International)                     969       6,950                      -                -




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