UK market regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has set out proposals aimed at making the UK’s listing regime more “accessible, effective, and competitive.”
In May, the FCA consulted on a new regime and its detailed proposals have kept the suggested change to a simplified listing regime with a single listing category, with streamlined eligibility and ongoing requirements, aimed at encouraging a greater range of companies to list in the UK and compete on the global stage.
The FCA has also retained the idea, set out in the earlier consultation, of moving to a disclosure-based regime – one that puts sufficient information in the hands of investors, so they can influence company behaviour and decide how they want to invest.
The FCA is suggesting disclosures for significant transactions while keeping sponsor scrutiny of related party transactions, rather than the current mandatory votes. Shareholder approval for key events such as reverse takeovers and de-listing would, however, remain.
The proposals could entail an increased possibility of failures, but the changes set out would better reflect the risk appetite the economy needs to achieve growth.
As a result, the FCA has engaged widely ahead of the consultation and has taken feedback into account. The FCA now wants to hear from all sides of the market on the detailed proposals before a decision is made on the final rules.
The FCA is also delivering part of the Edinburgh Reforms by confirming the regulatory regime for a bond market consolidated tape. The tape is intended to provide investors with trade and sales data quicker and more cheaply. The FCA is introducing a consolidated tape for bonds, for which the UK is one of the world’s largest markets, before outlining next steps for equities in 2024.
Additionally, measures to significantly increase the information that is published in real time have been set out which will improve the bond and derivative markets’ ability to establish a fair price, and help investors buy or sell. These proposals will try to ensure that data that will go into the forthcoming bond consolidated tape is standardised, complete and of high-quality.
The proposals are intended to help investors hold their brokers accountable, improving competitive pressure on their services and enabling market participants to better manage risk and maintain market stability.
Sarah Pritchard, executive director, Markets and International, at the FCA said, “We are working to strengthen the attractiveness of UK capital markets and supporting UK competitiveness and growth. As we do so, it is important that others consider what they in turn can do, to make sure the UK remains an attractive place for companies to raise capital. We welcome feedback on our detailed proposals to make sure that we have the balance right as we seek to set the standards for the years and decades ahead. The UK is a world leader for bond and derivative markets, and we want to make it better by ensuring investors have access to better, quicker, clearer and cheaper data.”
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