The ISE reported that value of shares traded on the Exchange increased by 20% in the half of the year to EUR65.8 billion ($83.5 billion) from EUR54.8 billion during the same period in 2005. The average daily equity turnover on the Exchange in the first half of this year rose to EUR526 million from EUR441 million in the first six months of 2005.

The average number of transactions per day was 3,843 compared to 3,149 in the first half of 2005 - a 22% increase, emphasising the underlying liquidity of the market, and reflecting a sustained interest in equities by private investors. The number of transactions traded on the ISE reached its lifetime high of 6,574 on 31st May.

On June 22nd the Exchange admitted Interactive Brokers (UK) Limited as a new trading member firm, bringing to 29 the number of member firms on the ISE.

All three major components of the equity market, the ISEQ Overall, ISEQ Small Cap and ISEQ 20 indices, performed well in the first half, reaching lifetime highs despite volatility in global equity markets. The ISEQ Overall closed the half year at 7364, up 2% year to date.

Leading international indices such as the Eurostoxx 50, NASDAQ, FTSE 100 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were outperformed by the ISEQ.

Companies traded on the ISE raised a total of EUR1,153 million in the first half of 2006.

The ISE also reported that the Irish Enterprise Exchange (IEX) continues to attract new companies: four new companies have joined IEX so far in 2006, bringing the total number of companies listed on IEX to 17. The Exchange said that it expects more new companies to list on IEX in the second half of 2006.

Meanwhile, the ISEQ 20 Exchange Traded Fund has seen assets under management grow 37% to just under EUR40 million in 2006, with average daily trading volumes of 114,000 shares.

Year to date the ISE has seen a 34% increase in listing of debt securities over the corresponding period in 2005. Notable names listing for the first time on the Exchange include Fiat Finance and Trade, BASF AG, American insurer Hartford Life, employment group Manpower Inc., Mexican supermarket group Gigante, with a new programme also coming from Standard Bank of South Africa. There was also a Japanese Yen denominated issue from American supermarket chain Wal-Mart.

In the asset backed arena, Russia has become a significant securitisation player. The country’s first retail leasing transaction was launched in Q2, 2006 – paving the way for further such deals to join its burgeoning auto loan, credit and retail mortgages backed securities sectors. Russian Consumer Finance No.1 S.A. and Red Arrow International Leasing Public Limited Company were among a number of such debt listings on the ISE.

The first six months of 2006 saw the Exchange further secure its position as the leading exchange for the listing of Investment Funds worldwide. The current number of funds and sub-funds listed rose to 4,224, while the number of securities increased to 8,683. New listings of funds and sub-funds were up 13% over the same period in 2005. There were a large number of listings of new sub-funds from managers already active in the area such as GLG, Goldman Sachs and Alphagen as well as a number of new umbrella fund structures.

There were other developments in the Investment Fund area, with the introduction of a new regime for the listing of funds with private equity investments as well as the finalisation of new derivative rules, effective from 1st July 2006.