London Stock Exchange Faces Delistings and Struggles to Attract New Listings
London's stock market has seen a significant decline in listed companies, dropping from 2,429 in 2015 to just 1,534 by May 2026. Over the past year alone, more than 30 firms have delisted or announced plans to do so, including major names like Schroders and easyJet, both of which are being acquired by U.S.-based companies. The decline is attributed in part to a smaller domestic investor base compared to the United States and years of underperformance that has led to lower valuations for London-listed firms. Julia Hoggett, CEO of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), argues that concerns about the exchange's decline are overstated. Since 2021, she has spearheaded reforms aimed at revitalizing capital markets and attracting more IPOs. In 2024, new rules were introduced allowing companies greater control post-listing by removing mandatory shareholder votes for most acquisitions. The LSE also reformed its AIM market to reduce regulatory burdens and launched Pisces, a secondary trading platform. Hoggett claims these changes are already showing results with increased M&A activity in the UK rising over 100% year-to-date to £124.2 billion as of mid-2026.
Tickers: $LSE
Topics: delistings IPOs London Stock Exchange (LSE) regulatory reforms