Eight listings from the TSX Venture Exchanged graduated to the Toronto Stock Exchange in March, bringing the total number of year to date graduates to 13.

There were 18 new listings in March. Year-to-date new listings have increased 207.7% compared to the same period in 2003.


Alberta accounted for 28% of the new listings, followed by British Columbia (15%), Ontario (18%), Quebec (28%), Manitoba (5%), Atlantic Canada (3%) and foreign (5%).


As of the end of March, there were 720 financing deals on TSX Venture, raising a total of $1.2 billion, an increase of approximately 167% compared to last year’s numbers of $456.4 million through 567 financing deals.

Year-over-year, the average size of the financings has increased from $0.80 million to $1.69 million, an increase of 111.3%.

So far this year, the Mining sector is leading the way in financing, raising a total of $669.1 million (representing 55% of the total).

The Oil & Gas sector is second with $269.8 million (representing 22% of the total). The Technology sector has captured 9% of the financing with $105.1 million raised.

Mexgold Resources Inc., a natural resource mining company, completed the largest single financing year-to-date, raising $45 million through a private placement deal.

Silver Standard Resources, a gold and silver exploration company, completed the next largest single financing year-to-date, raising $43.7 million through a private placement in January 2004.

The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index closed at 1,873.58 on March 31, 2004, an increase of 7% from the beginning of 2004.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 4.4%, the NASDAQ Composite was down 0.5% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 0.9% over the same period.

The market capitalization for TSX Venture Exchange equities was $23.78 billion as of March 31, 2004 — a decline of 2.1% from February 2004 and an increase of 105.2% from the same period last
year.