Press releases 2004

13 August 2004

AIM reaches 900 companies

The number of companies on AIM, the London Stock Exchange’s international market for smaller growing companies, reached 900 for the first time today with the admission of Wichford plc.

To celebrate the occasion, Richard Britten-Long, Director of Wichford Property Management, marked the opening of the day’s trading in London by switching on ‘The Source,’ a specially commissioned artwork in the main atrium of the London Stock Exchange’s new building in Paternoster Square.

So far this year 189 companies have joined AIM raising a total of £2.56 billion. 

 
Mat Wootton, Deputy Head of AIM, said: 

“We are delighted to welcome Wichford plc to AIM.  Reaching the 900th company milestone caps a fantastic first half of the year for AIM, showing the strength and maturity of the market and underlining its position as the most successful market in the world for smaller, growing companies.”

Richard Britten-Long, Director of Wichford Property Management plc, said:

“Admission to AIM will provide us with greater access to additional finance, both equity and debt, for the future expansion of our portfolio and increased profile and standing in the market.”

Wichford plc is a property investment company with a portfolio focused on UK investment property outside central London occupied exclusively by UK Central Government bodies.  Evolution Beeson Gregory is acting as the company’s Nominated Adviser and the total proceeds of the company’s Placing on AIM are £30.0 million.

Since its launch in June 1995, a total of 1,517 companies have been admitted to AIM, raising a total of £12.89 billion.  The total market capitalisation of AIM at the end of July 2004 was £24.2 billion.

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For further information, please contact:

Richard Webster-Smith   Press Office  +44 (0)20 7797 1058           rwebstersmith@londonstockexchange.com

Notes to Editors

Digital photographs of Wichford plc switching on the source can be obtained on request from the London Stock Exchange’s Press Office, please email rwebstersmith@londonstockexchange.com

‘The Source’ is a dynamic sculpture installed in the seven story high main atrium of the London Stock Exchange’s new building in Paternoster Square.  Designed by artists Greyworld, the Source will mark the opening and closing of each day’s trading, showing whether the markets have closed up or down.  It is formed of 729 spheres moving independently to form random shifting patterns, or showing words, numbers and shapes fed in directly from the world’s markets and media.

Further information on AIM, including market statistics, can be found at:  www.londonstockexchange.com/aim