Market Report - October 2003

London Stock Exchange Plc
10 November 2003

10 November 2003

MONTHLY MARKET REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2003

                      SETS TRADES CONTINUE TO GROW

The number of trades on SETS, the London Stock Exchange's electronic order book,
increased to 3.27 million in October 2003, a rise of 23 per cent on the number
of trades in October 2002.  The value traded on SETS during the month was £73.0
billion, up from £62.2 billion in October 2002.  The average daily number of
trades on SETS was 142,278, up from 116,144 in October 2002.

The total number of equity trades on the Exchange was 5.38 million in October
2003, up one per cent on October 2002, when there was a total of 5.34 million
equity trades.  The total value of shares traded this October was £375 billion,
down from £387 billion in October 2002.

October saw the strongest month yet in trading of Covered Warrants, with 3,705
trades worth £21.7 million transacted.

On the primary market, there were 21 new issues during October 2003, ten of
which were IPOs: two on the UK Main Market, one on the international market and
seven on AIM, raising £1.04 billion between them.   This compares with 18 new
issues, of which 5 were IPOs, in October 2002.


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 six 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

October 2003


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

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    200,299       1,560,049          154,036       1,550,645
Number of Equity Trades                    4,598,411      38,591,365        3,813,602      31,235,934


INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                    174,450       1,455,336          232,906       2,424,621
Number of Equity Trades                      778,646       8,411,086        1,526,571      12,939,069


ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value (£m)                            73,007         599,074        62,178         571,952
Order Book Trades                             3,272,393      27,412,245     2,671,306      19,489,634


                                                       October 2003             October 2002

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION (£m)                               1,324                         1,178

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                                         2,685                         2,836
UK list                                                1,573                    1,717
Foreign                                                390                      422
AIM                                                    722                      697
of which techMARK                                      183                      216




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

UK & AIM New Issues Equity                        178           2,014             25           5,051
Further, Rights and Other                         550           4,724            486          11,526
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                14,712          99,701          9,538          69,848
Int. New Issues Equity                            869             969              -               -
Further, Rights and Other                          41           4,889          3,734           5,455
Bonds, Warrants, Fixed Interest                 8,236          81,569          3,744          62,610


COMPANIES ADMITTED                                 21             141             18             198




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