Board Statement

Prudential PLC
18 March 2006

PRUDENTIAL PLC BOARD STATEMENT


18 March 2006


The Board of Prudential plc announces that it received a proposal from Aviva plc
about a possible combination of the two companies.  The Board of Prudential plc,
which has taken independent financial advice, does not consider that the
proposal is in the best interests of its shareholders and has rejected it.


The Board confirms that it is not in discussions with any party and reaffirms
its confidence in Prudential's future as an independent company.



Enquiries:


Prudential plc
Jon Bunn                                           07808 632167
Rebecca Burrows                                    07718 637264

Brunswick
Mike Smith                                         020 7404 5959
Kate Holgate                                       020 7404 5959


Note to editors:

1.       Prudential plc announced its 2005 full year results on 16 March 2006

  • Total EEV operating profit from continuing operations of £1,712 million,
    up 33%
  • New business APE of £2,146 million, up 15%; PVNBP of £16.8 billion, up 11%
  • New business profit of £867 million, up 15%, with Group margin of 41%
  • Total statutory profit from continuing operations of £957 million, up 36%
  • EEV shareholders' funds up 20% to £10.3 billion
  • Return on embedded value of 15.7% (2004: 13.4%)
  • Total net inflows for funds businesses of £5.2 billion, with external
    funds under management of £46 billion, up 23%
  • Full year dividend of 16.32 pence per share (2004: 15.84 pence per share)

2.       Prudential plc is being advised by Goldman Sachs International, Lexicon
Partners Limited and UBS Limited in connection with the matters referred to
herein

3.       Goldman Sachs International and UBS Limited are joint corporate brokers
to Prudential plc



Goldman Sachs International, which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for
Prudential and no-one else in connection with the matters referred to herein and
is not advising any other person and accordingly will not be responsible to any
person other than Prudential for providing the protections afforded to clients
of Goldman Sachs International or for providing advice in relation to such
matters.

Lexicon Partners Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for Prudential only in
connection with the matters referred to herein and no-one else and will not
regard any other person as its client or be responsible to any person other than
Prudential for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lexicon Partners
Limited nor for providing advice in relation to such matters.

UBS Limited is acting for Prudential only in connection with the matters
referred to herein and no-one else and will not regard any other person as its
client or be responsible to any person other than Prudential for providing the
protections afforded to clients of UBS Limited nor for providing advice in
relation to such matters.


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