London Stock Exchange: AIM Six Years On: Continuing To Attract New Companies

The London Stock Exchange yesterday celebrated the sixth anniversary of AIM, by reporting continued growth in the number of companies on the market. Despite a difficult trading climate this year, AIM has seen 75 companies join its ranks, making a total of 572 companies on the market - 150 more companies than this time last year.

Clara Furse, Chief Executive of the London Stock Exchange said: "AIM is a significant part of the London Stock Exchange's portfolio. Over the past six years its success in attracting growth companies has confounded the sceptics. Since its launch, AIM has helped over 800 enterprising companies raise close to £7bn - effectively allocating capital to ideas. We hope that the recently announced measures by the Government to encourage enterprise in the UK will generate even more opportunities for AIM to help smaller companies."

Part of AIM's success has been due to the strong relationship that the Exchange has with the market it serves.

Bill Brown, Director of AIM Equities, Friends Ivory and Sime said: "AIM has proved an efficient tool to help smaller companies raise capital in order to fund new ideas, its success in doing so has been quite remarkable. Promoting enterprise is essential to the success of any economy and there is no doubt that AIM has helped feed the UK's new business ideas over the last 6 years. AIM is now in a stronger position than ever to continue driving the UK's enterprise culture."