Market report - May 2004

London Stock Exchange Plc
09 June 2004


9 June 2004

MR35-05.04



                        TRADING ON SETS REACHES NEW HIGH


Trading on SETS, the London Stock Exchange's electronic order book, reached a
new high in May 2004 as the Exchange recorded more year on year increases in
trading across its markets.

Over the course of May, the daily average number of trades on SETS reached a new
high of 163,565, an increase of 29 per cent on the daily average for the same
month last year.  The total number of trades on SETS was up 23 per cent to 3.11
million, while the total value traded increased 28 per cent to £71.0 billion.  A
similar growth trend was reflected in SETSmm, the Exchange's electronic order
book for FTSE 250 and other leading non order book securities, which reached a
new monthly record of 260,588 trades during May.



Overall there were 4.09 million UK equity trades on the Exchange, an increase of
13 per cent on last May. The value traded rose 32 per cent to £189.6 billion, up
from £143.3 billion in May 2003.



On 24 May, the Exchange launched its new EUROSETS Dutch Trading Service.  In the
first week of trading, the value traded on book was €109.6 million, whilst
off-book business amounted to €1.1 billion.  This start was in line with
expectations, and once vendors resolve their outstanding software issues it is
expected that the service will develop.



A new record was also set in the value of trades in covered warrants.  On
average, £6.19 million worth of covered warrants was traded each day on the
Exchange during May 2004.  This was significantly up on the daily average of
£345,823 traded during May 2003, and approaches the £6.92 million total value
traded in covered warrants for the whole of that month.



There were twenty nine new issues on the primary market in May, raising over
£600 million between them.  Four of these new issues were on the main market,
including two IPOs.  The rest were on AIM, which saw seventeen IPOs.



There were nineteen business days in May 2004, compared with twenty in May 2003.



                                    - 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 one of the world's leading equity exchanges 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 2003, the
market capitalisation of UK and international companies on its markets amounted
to £3.3 trillion, with £3.6 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



•        SETS - the electronic order book.



It is over six 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.



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]



IPO - when a new company joins our market raising money.  This excludes
transfers and introductions (a company that joins a market without raising
money).



•      SETSmm



SETSmm is the Exchange's new 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 - http://
www.londonstockexchange.com/trading/retailtrade.asp

Figures are available from November 2002 to date.




LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE

MONTHLY FACTSHEET FIGURES



May 2004


                                            2004                            2003
DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING                     Month        Year to date       Month         Year to date

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    189,621       1,015,814          143,296         695,197

Number of Equity Trades                    4,085,434      22,632,074        3,612,087      18,322,622

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    199,065       1,023,417          134,345         680,189
Number of Equity Trades                      881,289       4,837,603          817,172       4,459,274


ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value (£m)                          71,022       375,432            55,525        282,895
Order Book Trades                           3,107,728    16,333,810         2,526,556     13,350,474




                                                     May 2004                 May 2003

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION (£bn)                  1,371                    1,217

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                             2,711                    2,736
UK list                                               1,513                    1,637
Foreign                                                 369                      401
AIM                                                     829                      698
of which techMARK                                       177                      201


                                                2004                            2003
MONEY RAISED (£m)                               Month       Year to date        Month      Year to date

UK & AIM New Issues Equity                        334           1,640            414               523
Further, Rights and Other                       2,860           5,493          1,144             1,854
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                 9,449          59,318          7,439            43,061
Int. New Issues Equity                            268             487              -                 -
Further, Rights and Other                          11             122              -             3,908
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                12,086          46,103          5,188            37,089


COMPANIES ADMITTED                                 29             120             11                53




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