Press releases 2000

1 December 2000

EXCHANGE WELCOMES NEW EUROPEAN MEMBERS

London Stock Exchange plc is pleased to welcome three new broking firms to the Exchange:

• IMC International Market Makers Combination BV - Amsterdam
• Fimatex SA - France
• Neonet Securities - Sweden

Martin Wheatley, Director of Business Development, said: "We are delighted that these three European firms have taken the decision to join the London Stock Exchange. As part of our commitment to building and strengthening our international position and to creating a European growth market based on techMARK, we are working to expand the number of overseas broking firms on the Exchange.

"Today's announcement highlights London's central position in European equity markets and provides market users in Holland, France and Sweden with direct access to London."

IMC International Market Makers Combination BV of Amsterdam, who joined the Exchange on 15 November, are one of the biggest market makers in Amsterdam. They will trade in UK domestic stocks on the SETS order book.

Fimatex SA is a subsidiary of Socit Gnrale and joined the Exchange on 17 November. Fimatex has executed almost three million orders in the first nine months of this year and will act as a broker dealer in UK domestic and AIM securities.

NeoNet Securities of Stockholm will join the Exchange on Monday 4 December as the first Swedish overseas member. NeoNet is a leading provider of real time electronic equity trading services for institutional investors and broker-dealers and will trade in UK domestic equities through SETS.