Market report - October 2005

London Stock Exchange Plc
09 November 2005

News Release



9 November 2005
MR52-10.05



           LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE SETS NEW TRADING RECORDS IN OCTOBER

New trading records were set across the London Stock Exchange's markets during
October 2005.  The average daily number of equity trades carried out across the
Exchange was 357,658, bringing the total number of trades during the month to a
record 7.5 million, an increase of 30 per cent on the number of trades during
October last year.  The average daily value traded was £22.8 billion, up 26 per
cent on October 2004, and the total value traded during the month was £478.7
billion.


The average daily value traded on SETS reached £5 billion for the first time, an
increase of 39 per cent on the average daily value traded during October 2004.
The average daily number of trades reached a new high of 228,793, an increase of
31 per cent on the same period last year.  In total there were 4.8 million
trades on SETS during October 2005, worth £105.3 billion.


Included in the SETS figures, SETSmm and the International Order Book each
recorded their strongest month yet.  There were 786,287 SETSmm trades, worth a
total of £6.9 billion and 39,795  trades on the International Order Book, worth
a total of  £3.5 billion.


Trading in ETFs was strong, with the total number of ETF trades during October
2005 up 86 per cent on the previous year to 12,008, and the total value traded
up 226 per cent on the previous year to £1.1 billion.


The primary market also had a very good month in October, with a total of 32
IPOs raising just over £2.5 billion between them, the largest amount raised by
IPOs in a single month since February 2001.  Of these, 10 IPOs were on the Main
Market, raising £2.0 billion between them, including three IPOs from
international companies.  There were 20 IPOs on AIM during October, raising £507
million between them.


In addition, there were two IPOs on the Exchange's new Professional Securities
Market for wholesale securities.  Electrosteel Castings Limited and Lloyd
Electric and Engineering, both from India, issued Global Depositary Receipts on
the PSM, raising £38 million between them.


There were 21 business days in October 2005, the same number as in October 2004.



                                    - ends -





For further information, please contact:

Catherine Mattison                           Press Office   [phone]
                                             [e-mail]





Notes to editors:



•  About the London Stock Exchange


The London Stock Exchange is one of the world's foremost 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.  In 2004, 80% of all
Western European IPOs floated in London. By the end of 2004, the market
capitalisation of UK and international companies on the London Stock Exchange's
markets amounted to £3.5 trillion, with £4.7 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.


Companies considering flotation have a choice of markets:


AIM

AIM is the London Stock Exchange's international market specifically designed
for smaller, growing companies, combining the benefits of a public flotation
with appropriate levels of regulation.


Main Market

The London Stock Exchange's Main Market for established companies seeking
international recognition is one of the world's best known, longest-established
and most liquid markets.  It is home to some of the world's largest and most
successful companies, giving them access to one of the deepest pools of capital
in the world.


Professional Securities Market

The Professional Securities Market was established in July 2005, to coincide
with the introduction of the FSA's new Listing Rules.  PSM provides a solution
for those issuers seeking to list securities in London without having to
re-state their financial information to IFRS or follow the additional
requirements of an offering to retail investors.  Debt securities or depository
receipts of any denomination may be listed on PSM on production of a prospectus
aimed at a wholesale or professional audience.



•  IPO


An IPO or Initial Public Offering is when a new company joins one of our markets
and raises capital by issuing shares.  This excludes transfers and introductions
(when companies join the market without raising money).



•  Indices

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]



•  SETS - the electronic order book


It is over seven 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.



•  SETSmm


SETSmm is the Exchange's successful trading service for FTSE 250 and other
leading non order book securities.  By combining the best features of the
existing SETS and SEAQ trading services, SETSmm appeals to market users who want
to trade electronically, as well as those customers who use the market making
system.



•  Retail Trading Figures


Retail trading figures are available from our website at -
www.londonstockexchange.com/en-gb/products/membershiptrading/retailtradestat
Figures are available from November 2002 to date.







LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE - MONTHLY FACTSHEET FIGURES


2005

                                        2005                             2004
DOMESTIC EQUITY TRADING                 Month        Year to date        Month         Year to date

Equity Trading Value (£m)                  230,997      2,066,989          194,942       1,945,706
Number of Equity Trades                  5,687,111     52,267,343        4,718,184      44,409,818


INTERNATIONAL EQUITY TRADING

Equity Trading Value (£m)                  247,672      2,177,878          184,405       1,936,660
Number of Equity Trades                  1,823,700     14,749,447        1,059,882       9,668,615


ORDER BOOK TRADING

Order Book Value (£m)                      105,327        865,856           75,723         735,220
Order Book Trades                        4,804,645     42,515,556        3,658,902      33,344,743


                                                      October 2005             October 2004

DOMESTIC MARKET CAPITALISATION (£bn)                                 1,718                        1,430

TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPANIES                                            3,030                        2,787
Main Market UK                                       1,362                    1,472
Main Market International                              334                      357
of which techMARK                                      148                      168
AIM                                                  1,332                      958
Professional Securities Market (Equity only)             2                       -


                                                 2005                             2004
MONEY RAISED (£m)                                Month       Year to date         Month        Year to date


Equity Money Raised:
  New issues: UK Main Market                         1,317           4,278                93         2,912
  New issues: International Main Market                673           3,750                75           662
  New issues: AIM                                      591           3,983               203         2,026
  Further issues: UK Main Market                     1,370           7,103             1,216         8,283
  Further issues: Main Market International              -             325                13           192
  Further issues: AIM                                  232           1,793               120         1,211
  PSM (new & further, UK & International)               38              38                 -             -

COMPANIES ADMITTED                                      40             498                43           318
                                                    

Debt Money Raised (£m)
  Main Market UK                                    11,582         103,097            10,283       106,402
  Main Market International                          9,949          99,293             5,258        77,878
  PSM (UK & International)                             885          16,939                 -             -
                                                     





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