Trading Update

RWS Holdings PLC
12 April 2005



                                                                   12 April 2005

                                RWS Holdings plc
                            ('RWS' or the 'Company)

                                 Trading Update

RWS, the intellectual property support services company, today provides an
update on its trading performance for the six months ended 31 March 2005.

Revenue and profit before tax for the period are ahead of budget. Good margins
have been maintained, with solid growth in translations and signs of a modest
recovery in our patent search activities.

The recent acquisition - Eclipse Translations - is in the process of integration
into RWS and has performed satisfactorily in its first two months under
management. The Japanese operations have delivered excellent growth in revenue
and profit.

The increasing importance of the need to protect intellectual property remains
the key driver of the Company's growth. Quality translations and searches are a
core component of such protection and provide the focus of the RWS business.

The Board looks to the second half of the year and beyond with confidence.

It is expected that unaudited results for the six months ended 31 March 2005
will be released on 8 June 2005.

For further information, please contact:

RWS Holdings plc
Andrew Brode (Executive Chairman)                         Tel: [phone]

Weber Shandwick Square Mile
Nick Oborne                                               Tel: [phone]

About RWS

RWS is the leading provider of intellectual property support services (patent
translations and technical searches to the medical, pharmaceutical, chemical,
aerospace, defence, automotive and telecoms industries). RWS also provides
specialist technical, legal and financial translation services for areas of
industry outside the patent arena. RWS is based in the UK with offices in
Europe, New York and Tokyo.

For further information please visit: www.rws.com





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