Purchase of Own Securities

Merrill Lynch UK Inv Tst PLC
26 February 2002



                             PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES



1) Date of the purchase:

25 February 2002

2) Number of Ordinary Shares purchased:

339,763

3) Highest and lowest price paid per share (excluding expenses):

710p

4) The issued share capital of the Company following this buy-back will be:

Ordinary shares - 13,493,799

5) Name of contact for queries:

Miss H Harvey

020 7743 5307

6) Name of authorised Company official responsible for this notification:

Miss H Harvey

for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Group Services Limited

Secretary

7) Date of notification:

25 February 2002



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