Annual report and accounts 2008

Notes contentsNotes to consolidated financial statements

28. Treasury shares

		Pearson plc			Interactive Data		Total
	Number of shares 000s	£m		Number of shares 000s	£m		£m
At 1 January 2007	8,761	130		6,052	59		189
Purchase of treasury shares	4,900	40		1,177	16		56
Release of treasury shares	(1,900)	(29)		—	—		(29)
At 31 December 2007	11,761	141		7,229	75		216
Purchase of treasury shares	2,028	12		1,976	35		47
Release of treasury shares	(3,341)	(41)		—	—		(41)
At 31 December 2008	10,448	112		9,205	110		222

The Group holds Pearson plc shares in trust to satisfy its obligations under its restricted share plans (see note 26). These shares, representing 1.3% (2007: 1.5%) of called-up share capital, are treated as treasury shares for accounting purposes and have a par value of 25p per share.

Interactive Data hold their own shares in respect of share buy-back programmes. These shares are held as treasury shares and have a par value of $0.01.

The nominal value of Pearson plc treasury shares amounts to £2.6m (2007: £2.9m). The nominal value of Interactive Data treasury shares amounts to £0.06m (2007: £0.04m).

At 31 December 2008 the market value of Pearson plc treasury shares was £67.0m (2007: £86.1m) and the market value of Interactive Data treasury shares was £157.9m (2007: £119.9m).