AGM Statement

Henderson Technology Trust PLC 27 July 2000 HENDERSON TECHNOLOGY TRUST PLC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING THURSDAY 27 JULY 2000 At the Annual General Meeting of Henderson Technology Trust held today, Brian Ashford-Russell, Fund Manager and Director commented that: 'The Company's new financial year has got off to a good start. By 25 July, our total net assets had risen by approximately 9% to £732m from our 30 April year end. This compares very satisfactorily with our composite technology index which has risen by less than 1% and a rise of under 4% in the FTSE World Index (Sterling adjusted). Technology shares in the USA have recovered strongly from their mid - May lows and have also bottomed - albeit less convincingly - in both Europe and Asia. Second quarter earnings figures from the US Technology sector provided convincing evidence of accelerating spending in areas such as web enabled applications software and broadband communications. Moreover, recent evidence of a deceleration in the pace of the US economy's growth has provided a more sanguine background for technology investors. NASDAQ's recovery has helped to stabilise technology shares elsewhere in the world. However, it is notable that both share prices and the earnings growth of European and Asian technology companies have markedly underperformed those of their US counterparts. We have benefited from this development following our decision in the Spring to reorient our portfolio towards the USA. Over the short term, we expect the technology sector to be 'range - bound'. High absolute valuations, a continuing flow of new and secondary issues together with investor concerns about the direction of the US economy all provide sufficient fuel for the bears to cap the sector's upside. However, outstanding earnings growth and the absence of it in other parts of the market, still strong mutual fund flows and the prospect of a soft landing in the US provide counter balancing ammunition for the bulls. Longer term we remain very optimistic about the outlook for technology shares and expect a more sustainable uptrend to commence some time in the fourth quarter.' For further information please contact: Brian Ashford-Russell/Norman Brown or Peter Binns/Simon Ellis Henderson Technology Trust PLC Binns & Co. or Vicki Staveacre, Henderson Press Office Tel: 020 7786 9600 Tel: 020 7410 4100 Notes to Editors: The Benchmark is a blend of worldwide technology indices, comprising 50% Pacific SE Technology, 15% Morgan Stanley Eurotec, 7.5% Techmark, 7.5% Euro NM, 15% Datastream Asian Electronics and 5% JASDAQ. The second part comprises a longer term incentive and will be at the rate of 5% of the amount, if any, by which the increase in the undiluted net asset value of the ordinary shares over each three year period exceeds LIBOR +5% over the same period. Each three year period will be discrete and hence the first will end on 30 April 2003 Pacific SE Technology- A long standing and broadly based US technology index against which the US part of the portfolio has been benchmarked for many years. Morgan Stanley Eurotec - Is Morgan Stanley's index of mid and large cap pan European technology stocks. Euro NM - The leading Stock Exchange for growth stocks in continental Europe. Datastream Asian Electronics - Is Datastream's index of electronic manufacturers in Asia including Japan. JASDAQ - Japan's answer to the NASDAQ. An index with Japanese growth stocks.
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