New deal over Internet trading

The London Stock Exchange will renew attempts today to resolve its dispute with the Cambridge-based Electronic Share company (ESI). Last week the Stock Exchange reneged on a earlier agreement with ESI to provide real-time share price information for distribution via the Internet. It also issued legal proceedings against David Jones, the chief executive of ShareLink who is a partner in the ESI venture, for comments he made during a radio broadcast.

Sources say that the basis of an agreement between the two parties was drawn up by the Exchange late on Friday night. The new terms of the contract may involve ESI paying slightly more for the price information than had originally been set, but any agreement is likely to include the dropping of legal action against Mr Jones.