Market report - August 2006

London Stock Exchange Group PLC
12 September 2006


News Release







12 September 2006
MR62-8.06



               LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE GROWTH LEADS MAJOR EXCHANGES



                     • August SETS trading up 50 per cent
                     • SETSmm trading up 121 per cent
                     • IOB trading up 94 per cent



Very strong trading during August has underlined the London Stock Exchange's
position as the world's fastest growing major equity exchange this year, with 50
per cent growth in the number of trades on SETS during the first eight months of
2006 compared with the same period last year.  During August the number of
trades on SETS increased 50 per cent year on year to a total of 6.3 million
trades, an average of 285,866 trades daily.  The value traded on SETS during the
month increased 31 per cent to £110.7 billion, equivalent to £5.0 billion per
day.



Trading on SETSmm was particularly noteworthy, with year on year growth of 121
per cent taking the total number of trades on SETSmm during August to 1.3
million. The value traded on SETSmm in August increased 76 per cent to £9.4
billion.



The overall SETS figures included very strong growth in trading on the
International Order Book.  The total number of trades increased 94 per cent on
the same period last year to 55,712, while the value traded increased by 122 per
cent to £5.1 billion.



Trading in all UK equities during August increased 37 per cent on the same
period last year to 7.0 million.  The value traded in UK equities during the
month increased 20 per cent to £227.7 billion.




The total number of trades in ETFs increased 56 per cent on August last year to
15,949 trades, while the value traded grew 53 per cent to £1.0 billion.



On the primary market, AIM had a good month, with 19 IPOs raising £328.6 between
them.  This total included six IPOs from international companies, which raised
£146.9 million between them.  There was one IPO on the Main Market in August,
which raised £37.5 million.



RNS, the Exchange's service for the dissemination of company news, transmitted a
total of 16,981 announcements during August, up 16 per cent on August last year.
This included 4,473 news and results announcements.


There were 22 trading days in August 2006, the same number as the previous year.





                                    - 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

                                        August 2006                      August 2005
DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING                 Month        Year to date        Month        Year to date

Equity Trading Value (£m)                 227,657      2,137,812          188,994       1,618,151
Number of Equity Trades                 7,047,791     58,004,073        5,132,006      41,121,508


INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                 268,374      2,195,780          206,466       1,675,316
Number of Equity Trades                 1,825,554     13,403,175        1,647,127      11,198,511


ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value (£m)                     110,724        998,676           84,611         662,630
Order Book Trades                       6,289,059     50,117,275        4,186,323      33,186,347


                                                      August 2006              August 2005

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION (£bn)                               1,898                   1,710

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                                          3,205                   3,012
Main Market UK                                          1,294                      1,383
Main Market International                                 321                        337
of which techMARK                                         143                        149
AIM                                                     1,579                      1,292
Professional Securities Market (Equity only)               11                          -




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


Equity Money Raised:
  New issues: Main Market UK                            38           5,566                 -         3,003
  New issues: Main Market International                  -           6,575                 -         3,077
  New issues:  AIM                                     331           6,001               353         2,999
  Further issues: Main Market UK                     1,290           8,845               336         4,874
  Further issues: Main Market                           61           1,243                 7           325
International
  Further issues: AIM                                  169           3,913               186         1,482
  PSM (new & further, UK & International)                -             527                 -             -

COMPANIES ADMITTED                                  31                 358                36           424
                                                                  

Debt Money Raised (£m)
  Main Market UK                                   9,982            85,374             4,265        82,754
                                                               
  Main Market International                        6,614           119,537            12,593        79,517
                                                               
  PSM (  PSM (UK & International)                    638             9,154                 -             -
                                                                




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