Market Report - August 2003

London Stock Exchange Plc
08 September 2003

8 SEPTEMBER 2003
MONTHLY MARKET REPORT FOR AUGUST 2003

                 FURTHER GROWTH IN SETS TRADES in AUGUST

The number of trades on SETS, the London Stock Exchange's electronic order book,
increased to 2.35 million in August 2003, 15 per cent higher than the 2.03
million trades in August 2002.  The value traded on SETS during the month was
£52 billion, up from £50 billion in August 2002.

The average daily number of trades on SETS was 117,254, up 21 per cent from
96,848 in August 2002.  SETS achieved a 60.6 per cent share of eligible trades
by value in August 2003, compared with 63.7 per cent in August 2002.  There were
20 business days in August 2003 compared with 21 in August 2002.

The total number of equity trades on the Exchange was 4.13 million in August
2003.  This represents a marginal increase on August 2002, during which there
was a total of 4.11 million equity trades.  The total value of shares traded
this August was £270.1 billion, down from £305.9 billion last August.

In August 2003, there were 775,519 retail trades representing 18.8 per cent of
all trading on the Exchange.  This was up on July 2003, when retail trading
represented 17.4 per cent of all trading.  These figures are calculated on
declarations from participating member firms.

On the primary market, there were 15 new issues during August 2003, seven of
which were IPOs on AIM, raising £12.8 million between them.  This compares with
21 new issues, of which 4 were IPOs, in August 2002.


                                    - Ends -

For further information, please contact:


Tiffany Hardie-Evans                Press Office   [phone]


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 2002, the
market capitalisation of UK and international companies on its markets amounted
to £3.1 trillion, with £4.6 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 now five 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).


•       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

August 2003

                                                    2003                             2002
DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING                        Month    Year to date            Month    Year to date

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    146,237       1,165,527          131,088       1,246,540
Number of Equity Trades                    3,478,227      29,592,289        2,994,509      24,095,025


INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    123,895       1,110,211          174,820       1,999,538
Number of Equity Trades                      648,496       6,814,315        1,111,787      10,154,848




ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value £m                              52,044         456,624           50,014         451,653
Order Book Trades                             2,345,084      21,083,341        2,033,818      14,474,475


                                                       August 2003              August 2002

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION £bn                                    1,283                       1,253

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                                             2,701                       2,865
UK list                                                1,601                    1,754
Foreign                                                393                      429
AIM                                                    707                      682
of which techMARK                                      188                      224




                                                     2003                            2002
MONEY RAISED £m                                 Month    Year to date          Month    Year to date

UK & AIM New Issues Equity                         22           1,770             29           5,002
Further, Rights and Other                         613           3,028            530           9,949
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                 3,495          72,887          1,804          54,142
Int. New Issues Equity                              -             100              -               -
Further, Rights and Other                           -           4,830              2           1,717
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                 9,523          64,753          2,929          53,506

COMPANIES ADMITTED                                 15              99             21             166



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