REUTERS GROUP PLC ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 1999

29. Employee share option plansReuters operates share plans for the benefit of employees as explained in the report on remuneration. Since the flotation of Reuters Holdings PLC in 1984, Reutershas issued 95 million shares under these plans.Share option activity for the two years ended 31 December 1999 was as follows:WEIGHTEDAVERAGEEXERCISESAVE AS YOU EXECUTIVE PLAN PRICEEARN PLANS PLANS 2000 TOTAL £Ordinary shares under option in millions (including ADSs):31 December 1997 17.2 3.4 – 20.6 4.05Granted 5.1 – 25.7 30.8 5.43Exercised (3.0) (1.7) – (4.7) 2.88Expired, cancelled or lapsed (2.2) (0.1) – (2.3) 4.7031 December 1998 17.1 1.6 25.7 44.4 5.10Granted 2.6 – 2.4 5.0 7.58Exercised (4.2) (0.7) (0.9) (5.8) 4.37Expired, cancelled or lapsed (0.9) (0.1) (1.2) (2.2) 5.2631 December 1999 14.6 0.8 26.0 41.4 5.51Number of participants at 31 December 1999 8,037 64 13,021The following table summarises information relating to the number of shares under option and those which were exercisable at 31 December 1999.WEIGHTEDAVERAGE SHARES EXERCISABLEPERIOD WEIGHTED AT WEIGHTEDTOTAL SHARES REMAINING TO AVERAGE 31 DECEMBER AVERAGERange of exercise pricesUNDER OPTION FULL VESTING EXERCISE 1999 EXERCISE(MILLIONS) (MONTHS) PRICE (MILLIONS) PRICEOrdinary shares£1.00–£3.00 0.1 – £2.54 0.1 £2.54£3.01–£5.00 6.7 15 £4.18 0.5 £4.32£5.01–£7.00 30.1 21 £5.54 – –£7.01–£9.00 2.4 20 £8.14 – –ADSs$20.01–$40.00 0.1 – $29.38 0.1 $29.38$40.01–$65.00 1.5 25 $56.88 0.1 $43.72$65.01–$90.00 0.5 41 $82.06 – –41.4 0.8In August 1990 and January 1994, Reuters established employee share ownership trusts with the power to acquire shares in the open market. The trustee of bothtrusts, an off-shore subsidiary of Reuters, is being managed under contract by an independent management company. Shares purchased by the trusts will be usedeither to meet obligations under the company’s restricted share plans described in the report on remuneration on pages 24–30 or to satisfy the exercise of optionsgranted, or to be granted, under other employee share option plans. Alternatively, new shares may be issued to satisfy these option obligations.Reuters Group PLC Annual Report 1999 67