The LSE is looking to tie-up with Milan's Borsa Italiana

The exchange added that between April and June, average daily trading volumes on its electronic SETS system reached 501,000, up 51% on a year ago.

The average daily value traded also rose, up 27% to �8.4bn.

The LSE has made a move to merge with Milan's Borsa Italiana in a deal worth 1.6bn euros (�1.1bn).

The deal has been agreed by the exchanges but remains subject to approval by LSE's shareholders.

"In the months ahead we look forward to completing our merger with Borsa Italiana to create Europe's leading diversified exchange group," said LSE chief executive Clara Furse.

Coming together

The move comes after a wave of exchange tie-ups and acquisitions aimed at boosting efficiency in the sector.

Stock exchanges have been seeking partners in a bid to cut costs and increase business through economies of scale.

Pan-European stock exchange operator Euronext joined the New York Stock Exchange last year and listed in Paris and Wall Street in April.

More recently, US exchange Nasdaq, which was repeatedly thwarted in its bid to buy the LSE, agreed to buy Swedish stock exchange OMX in a recommended $3.7bn (�1.8bn) deal in May.