Market Report - December 2002

London Stock Exchange Plc
09 January 2003

9 January 2003


MONTHLY MARKET REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2002


NUMBER OF UK TRADES CONTINUES TO RISE IN DECEMBER


The total number of UK trades on the London Stock Exchange increased to 2.81
million in December 2002, up 23 per cent compared with 2.29 million in December
2001.  There were 20 trading days in December 2002 compared with 19 in December
2001.  In total for 2002, the number of UK trades rose to 37.51 million, up 17
per cent from 32.13 million in 2001.


The number of trades on SETS, the London Stock Exchange's electronic order book,
increased 50 per cent in December 2002 to 1.97 million trades compared with 1.32
million in December 2001.  However, the average daily value traded on SETS
decreased by six per cent to £2.01 billion in 2002, from £2.15 billion in
December 2001.  For the year as a whole there were 23.84 million SETS trades,
which represented a 51 per cent increase on 2001.


The total number of UK and international trades on the Exchange in December 2002
rose four per cent to 3.81 million up from 3.66 million in December 2001.  The
value of UK & international trades over this period declined 23 per cent.  Over
the course of 2002 as a whole, there were 52.67 million UK and international
trades, which represented a six per cent increase on the 49.59 million trades in
2001.


On the primary market there were 17 new issues during December 2002, 7 of which
were IPOs, 2 on the Main Market and 5 on AIM raising £170 million between them.
This compares with 26 IPOs in December 2001 - 9 on the Main Market, 17 on AIM,
together raising £475.48 million.


                                    - Ends -



For further information, please contact:

Tiffany Hardie-Evans                        Press Office   [phone]




Notes to editors:


•        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, greater liquidity and lower execution costs. 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).



LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE



MONTHLY FACTSHEET FIGURES


December 2002


                                                      2002                             2001
DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING                        Month    Year to date            Month    Year to date

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    105,935       1,815,034          119,351       1,904,845
Number of Equity Trades                    2,812,373      37,508,832        2,294,426      32,130,988


INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    152,408       2,780,317          217,675       3,676,342
Number of Equity Trades                    1,002,167      15,159,382        1,364,847      17,454,095




ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value £m                              40,165         670,500           40,800         650,210
Order Book Trades                             1,974,364      23,839,550        1,315,494      15,750,253


                                                       December 2002            December 2001

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION £bn                                    1,158                       1,535

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                                             2,824                       2,891
UK list                                                1,701                    1,809
Foreign                                                419                      453
AIM                                                    704                      629
of which techMARK                                      210                      243




                                                       2002                            2001
MONEY RAISED £m                                 Month    Year to date          Month    Year to date

UK & AIM New Issues Equity                        170           5,375            195           6,587
Further, Rights and Other                         178          12,017          1,341          13,948
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                 7,770          87,019          8,587          85,681
Int. New Issues Equity                              -               -            289           3,581
Further, Rights and Other                           -           5,455          3,116           4,883
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                 6,096          73,284          4,437          81,363


COMPANIES ADMITTED                                 17             228             36             304








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