Trading Statement

RNS Number:6079N
Lorien PLC
16 July 2003

Lorien plc ("the Company")
Trading Update

Lorien plc, the IT Resourcing and Specialist Services group, today released a
trading update for the first six months of the current year. The Company's
interim results for the six months ended 31 May 2003, will be issued on 22 July
2003.

Current Trading

As highlighted at the preliminary results in February, trading conditions last
year were the most challenging seen for over a decade. Against this backdrop,
the Board stated then that it would be a challenge to maintain the Company's
2003 financial performance at the levels achieved in 2002

Trading conditions have not improved in the first half of this financial year.
Despite this, the Board has continued to manage the Company for the long-term
and as such has maintained its investment in new services for which start-up
costs will be incurred in the first half Predominantly as a consequence of this
investment being greater than anticipated, the Board believes Lorien's profit
before tax for the year-ending 30 November 2003 will be materially below current
market expectations.

Prospects

The Company's strategy remains to invest in and develop both its IT Resourcing
and its Specialist Services operations. Whilst an imminent recovery is unlikely
in any of the sectors in which the Company operates, Lorien has certain
encouraging and material prospects which the Board hopes will crystallise in the
second half of this financial year.


For further information, please contact:

Lorien plc 
Christopher Hinton, Group Finance Director        0161 888 2503

Citigate Dewe Rogerson                            020 7638 9571
Patrick Toyne-Sewell



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