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Press releases 2005

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE MARKETS OPENED BY INDIAN FINANCE MINISTER

The London Stock Exchange’s markets were today opened by Mr Palaniappan Chidambaram, the Finance Minister of India. Mr Chidambaram is visiting London to take part in the G7 meeting of Finance Ministers.

Mr Chidambaram opened the markets by setting in motion 'The Source’, the London Stock Exchange’s dynamic sculpture positioned in the main atrium of its new building at Paternoster Square. He was joined by Martin Graham, the Exchange’s Director of Market Services and Head of AIM, along with representatives of the Indian High Commission in London.

The market opening highlights the developing commercial and economic links between the UK and India.

The London Stock Exchange has 18 Indian companies listed on its markets with a total market capitalisation of $2.94bn [ Rs. 127.7bn, £1.53bn]. In addition there are 9 Indian companies with Depository Receipts traded on the Exchange. During 2004 two Indian companies, ACC Ltd. and Amtek Motors, successfully raised funds in excess of US$100 million when they issued Depository Receipts on the Exchange.

Martin Graham, said:

“The London Stock Exchange is delighted to welcome Mr Chidambaram and to highlight the strong economic links between the UK and India. There is a high level of international investor demand to share in the success of the Indian economy and London has been a conduit through which international capital has contributed to the growth of Indian companies and its wider economy.”

Martin Graham has recently joined the Board of the Indo-British Partnership (IBP), a private sector organisation supported by the UK’s Trade & Investment Department. IBP’s mandate is to encourage bilateral trade, business and investment between Great Britain and India, and to play an advisory role to UK Trade and Investment in the implementation of its plans for India. The IBP Board is chaired by Karan Bilimoria, CEO of Cobra Beer Limited.

India is one of the Exchange’s three key priority markets for attracting international listings alongside China and Russia.

For further information, please contact:

Richard Webster-Smith Press Office +44 (0)20 7797 1222

Notes to editors:

Total number of Indian companies quoted on the London Stock Exchange:

18 companies listed on the Main Market and 9 companies with Depository Receipts traded

Total market capitalisation of Indian companies listed on the Main Market:

£1.53bn ($2,94bn)

Indian companies listed on the Main Market:

List date	Company	FTSE Sub sector
25/11/2004	AMTEK AUTO	Auto Parts
22/03/1995	ASHOK LEYLAND	Automobiles
19/03/2004	ASSOCIATED CEMENT CO	Building & Construction Materials
04/11/1994	BAJAJ AUTO	Automobiles
09/04/1979	CESC	Electricity
11/07/1996	CROMPTON GREAVES	Electrical Equipment
18/10/1994	EIH	Hotels
15/11/1999	GAIL(INDIA)	Oil & Gas - Exploration & Production
31/07/2000	HEXAWARE TECHNOLOGIES LD	Computer Services
08/08/1995	HIMACHAL FUTURISTIC COMMUNICATIONS	Telecommunications Equipment
09/05/1995	INDIAN HOTELS CO (THE)	Hotels
20/02/1995	RAYMOND	Other Textiles & Leather Goods
08/03/1996	RELIANCE ENERGY	Electricity
31/10/1994	SIEL	Food Processors
30/03/2000	SSI	Computer Services
11/10/1996	STATE BANK OF INDIA	Banks
15/03/1996	STEEL AUTHORITY OF INDIA	Steel
05/06/2000	TATA TEA	Soft Drinks

Indian Companies trading Depository Receipts:

Company	DR program
GRASIM INDUSTRIES	GDR EACH REPR 1 INR10 REG'S'/144A(SPON)
GUJARAT AMBUJA CEMENTS	GDR(REPR 1 ORD INR10)
ITC	GDR EACH REP 1 ORD INR10(REG'S')
MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA	GDR EACH REPR 1 ORD INR10 REG'S'
LARSEN & TOUBRO	GDS-EACH REPR 1 ORD INR2 REG'S'
RANBAXY LABORATORIES	GDS EACH REPR 1 ORD INR10 REG'S'
RELIANCE INDUSTRIES	GDR EACH REP 2 INR10 LEVEL 1(BNY)'144A
BALLARPUR INDUSTRIES	GDR EACH REPR 5 ORD INR10 REG'S
TATA MOTORS	ADR EACH REPR 1 ORD INR10

• 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 operates two major market segments, the Main Market, for larger established companies; and AIM – its market for smaller growing companies.

The London Stock Exchange is the most international equities exchange by trading in the world and Europe's largest pool of liquidity. 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.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/

• About the Market Opening ceremony:

The London Stock Exchange’s markets are opened by a selected dignitary or VIP, pushing a button and setting into motion “the Source” – a dynamic sculpture in the 7-storey atrium of the Exchange’s new headquarters at Paternoster Square.

The Source was officially unveiled by The Queen at the official opening of the Exchange’s new building on Wednesday 27 July and consists of 729 spheres, suspended on metal cables stretching the full height of the 32m, 7-storey atrium. Controlled electronically, each sphere moves independently, forming random shifting patterns or words, numbers and shapes fed in directly from the world's media.

The London Stock Exchange’s markets have been fully electronic since 1986.

For more information please visit:

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/thesource

• Pictures of the market opening ceremony will be available after the event. To obtain pictures please contact:

Simon Wheeler Press Office +44 (0)20 7797 4130 swheeler@londonstockexchange.com