OMHEX and APX close UKPX deal


STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 30, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- In December 2003, APX and OMHEX signed an agreement regarding the acquisition of the business activities of the UK Power Exchange (UKPX) from OMHEX's subsidiary OM London Exchange. Following the settlement of operational and regulatory matters with the London-based Financial Services Authority being kept fully informed and advised, the deal has now been closed.

As a result of the closing, APX will assume responsibility for the operations of UKPX from July 1, 2004.

UKPX was established in 2000 as Britain's first independent power exchange. Today UKPX offers its 49 members an anonymous market place for trading, clearing and notification of spot and futures contracts. Over the period January-May 2004, traded volumes amounted to 14,608 GWh for spot and futures contracts.


 For further information or comments, please contact:
 Miranda Barham, Marketing Communications Manager UKPX
 +44 20 7065 8204
 Anna Rasin, VP Marketing & Communications, OMHEX
 +46 8 405 66 12

OMHEX

OMHEX is a company that owns and operates the largest securities market in Northern Europe and is a leading provider of marketplace services and solutions for the financial and energy markets. OMHEX consists of two divisions: OM Technology and HEX Integrated Markets. OM Technology is a world-leading provider of solutions and services - outsourcing and transaction processing - based on pioneering and proven technology. HEX Integrated Markets is the integrated Nordic and Baltic marketplace for securities, giving customers access to 80 percent of the Nordic and Baltic securities market and includes the stock exchanges in Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius.

UKPX

UKPX was established in 2000 as Britain's first independent power exchange. Today UKPX offers an anonymous marketplace for integrated trading, clearing and notification for spot and futures power contracts, including both Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Voice Clearing services. UKPX also offers clearing services for UK Gas and provides industry benchmark indices. For more information please visit www.ukpx.co.uk

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The following files are available for download:

http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/06/30/20040630BIT00020/wkr0001.pdf