The London Stock Exchange reports that 2005 was a record year for international listings.

In 2005, the London Stock Exchange attracted a record 129 international companies, from 29 countries, to its Main Market and AIM – an increase of 82% from 2004. International companies raised a total of £5.9 billion ($12.11 billion) in new issues on the exchange’s markets, the highest value since 2000.

A total of 98 companies joined the main market in 2005, of which 77 were IPOs, raising a total of £9.8 billion in new issues. AIM, for the second year in succession, had its most successful year since its launch in 1995, both in terms of total money raised and number of new issues. 494 companies joined AIM in 2005, 318 of which were IPOs, raising a total of £5.98 billion in new issues. There were also 2,214 further issues on the exchange’s markets in 2005, raising a combined total of £10.4 billion.

Also, a survey by the exchange of the 80 international companies that conducted an IPO on its markets has revealed that, for more than three quarters of respondents (77%), access to capital was the principal reason for their decision to go public. 89% of the companies surveyed said they were satisfied with the price they achieved on flotation.

According to the survey, 27% of respondents identified London’s liquid international trading market as the most important factor in their company’s decision to float on the exchange’s markets. This was closely followed by the UK’s standards of regulation and corporate governance (25%), analyst coverage (25%) and access to emerging market institutional investors (23%).

Of those companies that considered listing on an US exchange, 90% felt that the demands of Sarbanes Oxley made listing in London more attractive. More than half of the international companies appointed a UK based non-executive director in preparation for their London listing.

“The results of the survey demonstrate that world-class international companies select a London listing to access our deep pool of international capital and to be part of one of the world’s most liquid international trading markets,” said Martin Graham, the exchange’s director of market services and head of AIM. “This has been a record year for international new issues on AIM and the Main Market. As the world’s capital market, we look forward to welcoming many more international companies to our markets in 2006.”