The Offer, which remains subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Offer Document, is being extended and will remain open for acceptance until 3.00 p.m. (London time) on 28 February 2006.
LSE Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer and who hold LSE Shares in certificated form should complete, sign and return the Form of Acceptance as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to be received by Computershare by no later than 3.00 p.m. (London time) on 28 February 2006. LSE Shareholders who hold LSE Shares in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST) are urged to accept the Offer by TTE instructions as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to settle by no later than 3.00 p.m. (London time) on 28 February 2006. LSE Shareholders who hold LSE Shares as a CREST sponsored member should refer to their CREST sponsor as only their CREST sponsor will be able to send the necessary TTE instruction to CREST.
2. Level of acceptances and ownership
As at 3.00 p.m. (London time) on 14 February 2006, being the Second Closing Date, valid acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of 985,615 LSE Shares, representing approximately 0.4 per cent. of the issued ordinary share capital of the LSE.
The number of valid acceptances above includes a valid acceptance received in respect of 792,000 LSE Shares subject to an irrevocable undertaking made in favour of MLX by European Financial Investments Limited, a Cayman Islands company indirectly controlled by Macquarie and OZ Master Fund, Ltd and OZ Europe Master Fund Ltd to procure acceptance of the Offer in respect of such LSE Shares, representing approximately 0.3 per cent of the entire issued ordinary share capital of the LSE.
Save as disclosed in the Offer Document and above, neither MLX, Macquarie, nor, so far as MLX and Macquarie are aware, any person acting in concert with either of them, is interested in or has any rights to subscribe for any LSE Shares, nor does any such person have any short position or any arrangement in relation to LSE Shares. For these purposes "arrangement" includes any agreement to sell or any delivery obligation or right to require another person to purchase or take delivery and borrowing and lending of LSE Shares. An "arrangement" also includes any indemnity or option arrangement, any agreement or any understanding, formal or informal, of whatever nature, relating to LSE Shares which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing in such securities.
"Interest" includes any long economic exposure, whether conditional or absolute, to changes in the prices of securities and a person is treated as having an "interest" by virtue of the ownership or control of securities, or by virtue of any option in respect of, or derivative referenced to, securities.
