ABERFORTH SMALLER COMPANIES TRUST plc


Market Purchase by the Company of its own Ordinary Shares

The Board of Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc ("ASCoT") hereby gives
notification that, pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General
Meeting of the Company held on 4 March 2009 to make market purchases of the
Company's own shares, a market purchase of 33,000 ordinary shares of the Company
was made on 1 December 2009 at a price of 504p per share.

Following the purchase and cancellation of the above shares, 96,867,000 ordinary
shares will remain in issue. 33,000 ordinary shares have been purchased and
cancelled under the above authority.

For further information contact: David Holland, Aberforth Partners LLP,
telephone: 0131 220 0733.

Aberforth Partners LLP, Secretaries - 2 December 2009

ANNOUNCEMENT ENDS