Icelandic companies presented together with Swedish, Finnish and Danish companies on the Nordic Exchange

As of January 3, 2007, the Icelandic alternative market isec will be integrated into First North, OMX’s alternative market. On the OMX main market, the 25 companies listed on the Iceland Stock Exchange will be part of the common Nordic presentation of Swedish, Finnish and Danish listed companies and the OMX Nordic index family as of April 2, 2007. Thus, the Icelandic companies will be subject to the harmonized Nordic listing requirements.

The alternative market in Iceland will change its name to First North and adopt the common First North rule book as of January 3, 2007.

“Through First North, Icelandic growth companies gain access to one of Europe’s largest pool of liquidity and increased visibility among investors. Measured in number of companies, First North is Europe’s second largest alternative market. For companies considering going public, we believe First North presents great opportunities,” said Thordur Fridjonsson, President of the Nordic Exchange in Iceland.

As of April 2, 2007, the companies listed on the Iceland Stock Exchange will be part of OMX Nordic index family, covering among others All-share and Sector indexes. The All-Share index reflects the development of the Nordic market, while the sector indexes provide investors with tools to compare industries across different countries in the Nordic region.

“To include Icelandic companies in the OMX joint presentation of Swedish, Finnish and Danish companies, gives investors even more to choose from. By being part of OMX Nordic Exchange, Icelandic companies benefit from increased visibility and good benchmark possibilities. Furthermore, by adapting the listing requirements to the Nordic standard, we increase market harmonization,” Thordur Fridjonsson concludes.

OMX Nordic 40 index, based on the 40 most actively traded companies on the Nordic Exchange, is reviewed bi-annually. The next selection for the index, where Icelandic companies will be eligible for inclusion, will be effective on July 3, 2007.

The names of the local Icelandic indexes will be harmonized with the OMX Nordic index name standard. As an example, ICEX-15 will be renamed OMXI15, where the I stands for Iceland and 15 for the number of companies included in the index.