PRELIMINARY RESULT OF STRAUMUR-BURDARAS INVESTMENT BANK HF'S PUBLIC TENDER OFFER FOR ALL SHARES AND OPTION RIGHTS IN eQ CORPORATION


eQ CORPORATION STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE                     4 July 2007 at 14.15 
 
PRELIMINARY RESULT OF STRAUMUR-BURDARAS INVESTMENT BANK HF'S PUBLIC TENDER OFFER
FOR ALL SHARES AND OPTION RIGHTS IN eQ CORPORATION  
                            
The offer period in the mandatory tender offer by Straumur-Burdaras Investment  
Bank hf (“Straumur-Burdaras”) for all the shares and option rights in eQ        
Corporation (“eQ”) has expired on 3 July 2007.    
                              
According to the preliminary result of the tender offer, the shares tendered in 
the tender offer represent approximately 11.65 per cent of the shares and votes 
in eQ. In addition, holders of approximately 81.25 per cent of the option rights
issued by eQ have tendered their option rights pursuant to the tender offer.    
Further, Straumur-Burdaras has acquired 80.57 per cent of all shares in eQ      
before the beginning of the tender offer period, and during the tender offer    
period it has acquired 3.89 per cent of all shares in eQ in public trading.     
Accordingly, when the acquisitions before and during the tender offer period and
the acceptances of the tender offer are aggregated, the total holding of        
Straumur-Burdaras would amount to approximately 96.11 per cent of the shares and
votes in eQ. Further, if Straumur-Burdaras would convert the option rights      
tendered into new shares in eQ, Straumur-Burdaras' total holding in eQ would    
amount to approximately 96.16 per cent of the shares and votes in eQ after the  
relevant increase of the share capital.   
                                      
As the completion of the mandatory tender offer is not subject to any           
conditions, Straumur-Burdaras will complete the tender offer in accordance with 
its terms and conditions. The final result of the tender offer will be confirmed
and announced on 6 July 2007.                                                   

eQ Corporation and Straumur-Burdaras Investment Bank hf                         

INFORMATION REGARDING STRAUMUR-BURDARAS                                         
Straumur-Burdaras Investment Bank hf is Iceland's largest investment bank.      
Straumur-Burdaras offers integrated corporate and investment banking services in
Northern Europe, with particular focus on the Nordic countries and the UK.      
Straumur-Burdaras' services include corporate finance advisory, debt and equity 
financing, and brokerage.                                                       

INFORMATION REGARDING eQ                                                        
eQ is a Finnish full-service investment bank, the customers of which consist of 
private investors, institutions and companies. eQ provides and develops         
efficient and customer oriented investment banking services for demanding       
customers. The shareholder's equity of eQ Group is EUR 64 million and the       
capital adequacy ratio 14 %. The Group has 170 employees and approximately      
48.000 customers.                                                               

For more information:                                                           
eQ Corporation                                                                  
Antti Mäkinen                                                                   
CEO, tel.+358 9 681 781 or +358 50 5611 501                                    

Straumur-Burdaras Investment Bank hf                                            
Óttar Pálsson                                                                   
Chief Legal Counsel, tel. +354 840 9148                                         

DISTRIBUTION                                                                    
Helsinki Stock Exchange                                                         
Central media                                                                   

The tender offer is not being made directly or indirectly in any jurisdiction   
where prohibited by applicable law and this release may not be distributed,     
forwarded or transmitted into or from any jurisdiction where prohibited by      
applicable law by any means whatsoever including, without limitation, mail,     
facsimile transmission, e-mail or telephone.