Rule 8.3- Abacus Group PLC

    RNS Number : 2898K
  BNP Paribas London
  17 December 2008
   

                                 FORM 8.3                        
    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE 
    (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


    1.    KEY INFORMATION

 Name of person dealing  (Note 1)                    BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC
 Company dealt in                                    Abacus Group plc
 Class of relevant security to which the dealings    Ordinary Shares
 being disclosed relate (Note 2)
 Date of dealing                                     12 December 2008


    2.    INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

    (a)    Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant security dealt in (Note 3)

                                         Long                     Short

                                 Number                Number                     
                                                                          (%)
                                      (%)
 (1) Relevant securities         3,342,000           
                                                     
                                     4.54%  
 (2) Derivatives (other than                           3,342,000                  
 options)                                                              4.54%

 (3) Options and agreements to
 purchase/sell

 Total                           3,342,000             3,342,000                  
                                                                       4.54%
                                     4.54%  

    (b)    Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other than the class dealt in (Note 3)

 Class of relevant security:                     Long       Short

                                              Number (%)  Number (%)

 (1) Relevant securities 

 (2) Derivatives (other than options)

 (3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell

 Total


    (c)    Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

 Class of relevant security:  Details





    3.    DEALINGS (Note 4)

    *     Purchases and sales

 Purchase  Number of securities  Price per unit (Note 4) (GBP)

           375,000               49.06

           50,000                49.05

           163,000               49.07

           79,000                51.26

           1,075,000             51.93

           550,000               52.05

           50,000                52.55

           1,000,000             52.56

 Total:    3,342,500



 Sale    Number of securities  Price per unit (Note 4) (GBP)



 Total:


    (b)    Derivatives transactions (other than options)

 Product name,   Long/short (Note 6)  Number of securities  Price per unit (Note 5)
 e.g. CFD                             (Note 7)
 CFD             Short                375,000               49.06

 CFD             Short                50,000                49.05

 CFD             Short                163,000               49.07

 CFD             Short                79,000                51.26

 CFD             Short                1,075,000             51.93

 CFD             Short                550,000               52.05

 CFD             Short                50,000                52.55

 CFD             Short                1,000,000             52.56




    (c)    Options transactions in respect of existing securities
    (i)    Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

 Product name,     Writing, selling,     Number of securities  Exercise  Type, e.g. American,  Expiry   Option money
 e.g. call option  purchasing, varying   to which the option   price     European etc.         date     paid/received per
                   etc.                  relates (Note 7)                                               unit (Note 5) 



    (ii)    Exercising

 Product name, e.g. call option  Number of securities  Exercise price per unit (Note 5)




    (d)    Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)

 Nature of transaction (Note 8)  Details  Price per unit (if applicable) (Note
                                          5)



    4.    OTHER INFORMATION

    Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


 Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
 person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of any
 relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or relating to
 the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant
 securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is referenced. If
 none, this should be stated.  

 None



    Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                NO


 Date of disclosure                                           17 December 2008
 Contact name                                                 Neil Kober
 Telephone number                                             020 7595 4821
 If a connected EFM, name of offeree/offeror with which
 connected
 If a connected EFM, state nature of connection (Note 10)


    Notes

    The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk



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