Euronext: Seven Companies To Join The NextEconomy And NextPrime Market Segments

NextPrime and NextEconomy, the market segments launched on 2 January 2002, will welcome 7 additional companies on 29 July. This will raise the total to 256 companies, representing almost one quarter of all domestic listed companies on Euronext Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris regulated markets.

From 29 July 2002, Sodifrance, listed in Paris, will be included in the NextEconomy segment, raising the total number of companies in this segment -dedicated to new economy sectors- to 114.

From the same date, Imerys, Manutan International, Jacquet Industries and Saveurs de France Brossard, all listed in Paris; Tessenderlo Group, listed in Brussels; and Koninklijke Wessanen, listed in Amsterdam, will be included in NextPrime, bringing together 142 companies from traditional sectors.

On 4 and 5 September 2002, Euronext will organise a Europe-wide event in Paris for companies in the NextEconomy and NextPrime segments. Several hundred European investors are expected to attend.

NextEconomy and NextPrime are designed to meet investor demand for regular, high-quality financial information on listed companies, while at the same time raising the profile of these companies with investors. ,

Each segment is represented by a market capitalisation-weighted price index, with components including all companies except those represented in the Euronext 100 index.