2 godzin temu
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will declare on Monday that new financial rules are "reinvigorating" the City of London, as the FTSE 100 hits record highs and hopes grow for a revival in Britain's financial center. The reforms, introduced by the financial watchdog on Monday, cut red tape for share listings and speed up investment for UK businesses.
The new measures halve the time between initial documents being published and a company listing on the London Stock Exchange. They also simplify prospectuses for already-listed companies and lower costs. The LSE has simultaneously launched an "access bonds" initiative to make bond issuance in smaller values more accessible to individual investors.
In remarks prepared for a City of London event on Monday, Reeves will challenge critics of the financial sector. «Two years ago, some said the City's best days were behind it. They were wrong,» she is expected to say.
«As the FTSE 100 reaches record highs and global firms once again choose London, we are seeing the first signs of a new golden age for the City,» the Chancellor will add. She will stress that reforms preserve standards: «By cutting paperwork and speeding up access to capital, these reforms back the entrepreneurs, innovators and investors who drive our economy – while preserving the high standards and investor protections that make the UK one of the most trusted markets in the world.»
Record Performance and Renewed Activity
The FTSE 100 surpassed the 10,000 mark earlier this month for the first time. The index rose by 21.5 percent, the most since 2009.
The London Stock Exchange saw renewed activity toward the end of 2025, with flotations including Princes Group and Shawbrook Bank. This followed a prolonged drought in listing activity, as UK-listed businesses had been abandoning London for international rivals.
The government is working on broader reforms to build a retail investment culture in the UK. Britain currently lags behind countries like the United States in retail participation in financial markets. Reeves expects the FTSE 100's record performance will usher in more retail investors.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
