News Centre

Thailand Securities Depository Ready For T+2 Clearing And Settlement Period By June 1, 2005

Date 27/01/2005

The President of the Thailand Securities Depository Co., Ltd. (TSD), Mrs. Nongram Wongwanich, disclosed that the TSD Board of Directors has approved a new clearing and settlement period, to be reduced from the present T+3 to T+2, effective from June 1, 2005 onwards.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group IWF Change In The S&P European Indices

Date 27/01/2005

Standard & Poor’s will make the following changes in the S&P Europe 350 and S&P United Kingdom indices effective after the close of trading Monday, January 31, 2005: Royal Bank of Scotland Group (United Kingdom, SEDOL: 0754783, GICS: Financials, GICS Code: 40101010), a member of the S&P Europe 350 and S&P United Kingdom indices, Investable Weight Factor will change from 0.95 to 1. This is following the sale of their entire holding by Banco Santander Central Hispano SA.

Proposed Pre-Conditional Cash Offer By Deutsche Börse For The London Stock Exchange Plc

Date 27/01/2005

Click here to download details of the proposed pre-conditional cash offer by Deutsche Börse for the London Stock Exchange Plc.

Proposed Pre-Conditional Cash Offer By Deutsche Börse For The London Stock Exchange PLC

Date 27/01/2005

This summary should be read in conjunction with the full text of the announcement, including its appendices. Appendix IV to the announcement contains definitions of certain terms used in this summary and the following announcement. Download: deutsche-boerse.com. Deutsche Börse announces details of a proposed pre-conditional cash offer of not less than 530 pence for each ordinary share of the London Stock Exchange. The Offer is subject to the sole pre-condition that the Board of the London

Program Trading Averaged 55.9 Percent Of NYSE Volume During Jan. 18-21

Date 27/01/2005

The New York Stock Exchange today released its weekly program-trading data submitted by its member firms. The report includes trading in all markets as reported to the NYSE for Jan. 18-21.

NZX December Statistics

Date 27/01/2005

December Statistics Closing Index Values for December 2004 Code Sector Gross Index Capital Index Capitalisation G01 Primary 1328.9654 862.8944 $6,226,364,495 A01 Agriculture & Fishing 2612.8383

NYSE CEO, John A. Thain's Article Published In Davos' Global Agenda Magazine Titled "Earning The Investor's Trust"

Date 27/01/2005

Click here to download NYSE CEO, John A. Thain's article published in Davos' Global Agenda magazine titled Earning the Investor's Trust.

NYBOT's World Sugar Breaks Two Records

Date 27/01/2005

The Sugar No. 11SM futures contract market at the New York Board of Trade® (NYBOT®) set an all-time daily trading record on January 26, 2005, with 143,548 contracts changing hands. The previous record was 136,492 contracts, established on March 26, 2004.

NASD: New Arbitration Rule Requires Award Explanations Upon Investor Request

Date 27/01/2005

NASD announced today that the NASD Board of Governors approved an amendment to the Code of Arbitration Procedure allowing customers arbitrating disputes with brokers or brokerage firms to require a written explanation of the arbitration panel’s decision. Registered representatives arbitrating industry disputes may also require written explanations of decisions. Currently, issuing an explained decision is solely within the discretion of an arbitration panel.

MTSNext To License Lyxor AM For ETFs Based On The EuroMTS Inflation Linked Index

Date 27/01/2005

MTSNext is pleased to announce that the Company will license Lyxor AM for an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) which will track the EuroMTS Inflation Linked Index (EMTXi). The EMTXi is the first real-time index of eurozone inflation-linked government bonds and reflects actual prices on the EuroMTS Linkers Market.