Press releases 2001

19 June 2001

AIM SIX YEARS ON: CONTINUING TO ATTRACT NEW COMPANIES

The London Stock Exchange today celebrated the sixth anniversary of AIM, by reporting continued growth in the number of companies on the market. Despite a difficult trading climate this year, AIM has seen 75 companies join its ranks, making a total of 572 companies on the market - 150 more companies than this time last year.

Clara Furse, Chief Executive of the London Stock Exchange said: "AIM is a significant part of the London Stock Exchange's portfolio. Over the past six years its success in attracting growth companies has confounded the sceptics. Since its launch, AIM has helped over 800 enterprising companies raise close to 7bn - effectively allocating capital to ideas. We hope that the recently announced measures by the Government to encourage enterprise in the UK will generate even more opportunities for AIM to help smaller companies."

Part of AIM's success has been due to the strong relationship that the Exchange has with the market it serves.

Bill Brown, Director of AIM Equities, Friends Ivory and Sime said: "AIM has proved an efficient tool to help smaller companies raise capital in order to fund new ideas, its success in doing so has been quite remarkable. Promoting enterprise is essential to the success of any economy and there is no doubt that AIM has helped feed the UK's new business ideas over the last 6 years. AIM is now in a stronger position than ever to continue driving the UK's enterprise culture."

For further information:

Ian Campbell  Press Office  020 7797 1425

Notes for editors:

• AIM was launched on 19 June 1995. Today is its sixth anniversary.
• AIM is the London Stock Exchange's global market for young and growing companies from all over the world. AIM enables these businesses to access the capital and liquidity of the London markets - the largest and most dynamic in Europe.
• There are 572 companies quoted on AIM, of which 536 are UK companies and 36 are from overseas.
• Since its launch, 6.7 billion has been raised through AIM.
• 75 companies have joined AIM in the year to date.
• 516 million has been raised on AIM (249 million through new issues and 267 million through further issues) in 2001.
• Since AIM was launched there have been 94 billion shares traded on the market, totalling a value of 28 billion.
• The London Stock Exchange is currently undertaking a marketing initiative to further internationalise AIM and techMARK, the market for innovative technology companies.
• The Exchange and Baker Tilly recently published "AIM: A guide to tax benefits". Copies are available upon request.
• Bill Brown is the manager of the AIM Trust.
• All figures quoted are as at 18 June 2001.
• Further information and statistics can be found at: www.londonstockexchange.com/aim