1st Quarter Trading Update

Cookson Group PLC
24 April 2003

24 April 2003

FIRST QUARTER TRADING UPDATE

Sales for Cookson's continuing operations in the first quarter of 2003 were 3%
higher than the same quarter last year at £408 million. Operating profit for
continuing operations of £7 million improved by £10 million over the first
quarter of last year. Activity in the first quarter is traditionally quieter
than in the fourth quarter due both to the slow start to the year following the
Christmas season and to the Chinese New Year holidays. However, activity for
much of the first quarter of 2003 was substantially unchanged from the previous
quarter, as evidenced by average weekly sales for continuing operations for
February and March being virtually the same as in the fourth quarter of 2002.

In the Electronics division, sales of £158 million were 3% lower than the first
quarter last year, although average weekly sales for February and March were 1%
higher than in the fourth quarter of 2002. This indicates a general maintenance
of the underlying level of activity experienced for most of last year and
appears to be consistent with electronics industry trends. Despite lower sales
in the quarter, the division's operating profit improved by £7 million over the
corresponding period last year, primarily as a result of a lower cost base.

Sales in the Ceramics division in the first quarter of £173 million were 11%
higher than the same quarter last year and operating profit rose by £5 million,
thereby maintaining the improved performance achieved in the latter part of
2002. Global steel production, to which demand for c.70% of the division's
activities is indirectly linked, rose by 9% over the same quarter last year and
remained at a similar level to the fourth quarter of 2002. Market conditions in
the division's other sectors - Glass and Foundry - were generally stable.

The Precious Metals division recorded first quarter sales of £77 million,
virtually unchanged on the previous year, although this was affected by a higher
and more volatile gold price than a year ago. Early in the quarter, the
jewellery industry began to rebuild inventory after the Christmas season,
however activity in March fell sharply as a result of reduced consumer
confidence and a reluctance to build inventories further given the sharply
fluctuating gold price. As a consequence, the division's operating profit for
the first quarter of 2003 was £2 million lower than the first quarter of last
year.

The outlook for the second quarter of 2003 is that the Group's trading
environment is expected to remain essentially unchanged from the first quarter,
although the knock-on impact on Cookson's markets of the situation in Iraq and
the SARS epidemic is, as yet, uncertain. Nevertheless, given that the second
quarter is a more normal trading period, sales and operating profits for
continuing operations are expected to improve over those of the first quarter of
2003.

A conference call for shareholders and analysts will be held at 9:00am on
Thursday 24 April. The call will be broadcast live on www.cooksongroup.co.uk

Shareholder/analyst enquiries:

Cookson Group plc                                           Tel: [phone]

Stephen Howard, Group Chief Executive

Dennis Millard, Group Finance Director

Lisa Williams, Investor Relations Manager



Press enquiries:

Hogarth Partnership                                         Tel: [phone]

John Olsen


Note: All financial information is unaudited. All financial information and
comparisons are at average exchange rates for the quarter ended March 2003.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements about Cookson. Although
the Company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any
such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes
and results to be materially different from those predicted. These forward
looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements, certain
of which are beyond the control of Cookson.


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