The total number of equity trades in the first eight months of 2001 was 13.6 per cent higher than for the same period of last year, with value traded up by 5.9 per cent. In August this amounted to £403 billion of business spread across 3.9 million trades. This represented an increase in the number of trades over August last year of 23.8 per cent.
The banking sector represented the greatest proportion of trading by sector in August 2001, with 301,824 trades worth £19.5 billion.
The London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) welcomed 21 companies in August, ending the month with 597 companies quoted. AIM and techMARK now account for 88.5 per cent of all the European growth and technology markets, with market capitalisation of £466bn and 836 companies (88.5 per cent by market capitalisation at the end of July 2001. For comparative purposes "all European growth and technology markets" are defined as: techMARK, AIM, Neuer Markt, Nasdaq Europe/Easdaq, Nouveau Marche, NMAX and Nuovo Mercato. Calculations based on most recent available data from individual exchange websites. 836 companies is the figure at the end July 2001). A further 13 companies joined the Exchange's main market including Woolworths Group plc and IVAX Corporation, an American pharmaceuticals company. These brought the total number of company admissions for August 2001 to 34 (12 main market UK, 1 main market international, 21 AIM).
Companies raised a total of £800 million across the market in August, bringing the year to date total to almost £25 billion. The split between new issue capital raising and further issue capital raising was 66:34 for August and is now 41:59 for the year to date.
