On 14 March 2025, the FCA published Primary Market Bulletin 54, which raised concerns around the leaking of inside information by individuals at a company or by its advisers on live M&A transactions. The FCA specifically...more
4/2/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Board of Directors ,
Confidential Information ,
Contract Terms ,
Corporate Governance ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
FTSE ,
Insider Trading ,
Mergers ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Target Company ,
UK
On 6 February 2025, the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee published a report titled “Naming and shaming: how not to regulate”....more
3/17/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities Violations ,
UK
In recent years, we have seen more class action securities claims against UK listed companies — akin to US style “stock-drop” litigation.
These claims are typically brought by groups of investors, backed by financing...more
2/6/2025
/ Class Action ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Investors ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities Litigation ,
Stock Drop Litigation ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
This publication provides an overview of the top trending issues as we approach this year’s AGM and reporting season. We highlight key legal and regulatory developments impacting AGM and annual reporting practices....more
The FCA is approaching its design of the world’s first regulated private/public crossover market with a “private plus” rather than a “public minus” mindset.
On 17 December 2024, the FCA launched a consultation on its...more
12/18/2024
/ Capital Markets ,
Consultation ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
HM Treasury ,
Investors ,
Private Investment Funds ,
Proposed Rules ,
Retail Investors ,
Sandbox ,
UK
On 15 November 2024, the FCA released Primary Market Bulletin 52, offering guidance on compliance with MAR and DTR requirements, particularly in identifying and disclosing inside information, managing shareholder...more
12/3/2024
/ Compliance ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Culture ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ,
Fraud ,
Insider Information ,
Market Abuse ,
New Guidance ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Shareholders ,
Stewardship Code ,
Transparency ,
UK ,
White Collar Crimes
The proposals seek to address engagement feedback which called for a more effective stewardship model that would support UK competitiveness and growth.
On 11 November 2024, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) launched...more
The world’s first regulated private/public crossover market is significantly redesigned as a friction-free “private up” rather than “public down” market with rethought approach to disclosure and market abuse....more
11/18/2024
/ Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Markets ,
High Net-Worth ,
HM Treasury ,
Institutional Investors ,
Market Abuse ,
Privately Held Corporations ,
Sandbox ,
Takeover Code ,
Trading Platforms ,
Trading Policies ,
UK
On 8 October 2024, the Investment Association (IA) updated its Principles of Remuneration (and supporting guidance) (the IA Principles). These principles, and the accompanying guidance, are significantly more flexible and...more
Recent reforms in the UK market have led to less prescriptive executive remuneration principles that encourage companies to tailor structures to their business, strategy, and performance while consulting with shareholders....more
On 6 September 2024, the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT) published the Capital Markets Of Tomorrow report (CMOT). CMOT sets out the “UK elevator pitch” for the reformed UK capital markets, engages in some judicious...more
10/4/2024
/ Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Economic Growth ,
Entrepreneurs ,
Foreign Private Issuers ,
FTSE ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Listing Rules ,
Listing Standards ,
Pension Funds ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retail Investors ,
Sponsors ,
Stewardship Code ,
UK
On 13 August 2024, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), as part of a cross-regulatory group comprising the FCA, Companies House, HMRC and Charity Commission for England and Wales, published a discussion paper on the future...more
Major UK Listing Reforms Cut Red Tape for Listed Companies -
The FCA’s radical overhaul of the UK’s listing framework came into effect on 29 July 2024. All premium listed commercial companies have automatically been...more
8/6/2024
/ Business Entities ,
Capital Raising ,
Listing Standards ,
MiFID II ,
New Guidance ,
Prospectus ,
Public Limited Companies (PLC) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Sponsors ,
Stewardship Code ,
UK
On 26 July 2024, the FCA published consultation papers on a new public offers and admissions to trading regime to replace the existing UK Prospectus Regulation, and on proposals to establish public offer platforms (POPs) as a...more
The new regime modernises the listing framework while maintaining robust standards to protect investors and ensure market integrity.
On 11 July 2024, the FCA released the final rules for the new UK listing regime, which...more
On 29 May 2024, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a statement on good practices to be followed in relation to pre-close calls with research analysts. The calls take place immediately before the close...more
FCA Issues Reminders on Annual Reporting and LTIP Disclosure Requirements -
On 22 May 2024, the FCA published Primary Market Bulletin 49 (PMB 49) reminding listed companies of certain continuing obligations under the...more
6/5/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Bribery ,
Corporate Governance ,
Criminal Convictions ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Statements ,
Incentives ,
Listing Rules ,
Public Officials ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Sustainability ,
UK ,
UK Bribery Act
On 10 April 2024, the FCA published its consultation paper (CP24/7) on payment optionality for investment research. This followed the Investment Research Review’s report from summer 2023, which recommended that the FCA should...more
On 5 March 2024, the Pre-Emption Group (PEG) published its first report monitoring the use of its updated Statement of Principles on the disapplication of pre-emption rights for UK listed companies. The Principles were...more
4/5/2024
/ Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Diversity ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Ethnicity ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
FTSE ,
Information Reports ,
Listing Standards ,
Minorities ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
UK
UK Chancellor launches consultation on the proposed Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES) as part of the Spring Budget.
On 6 March 2024, HM Treasury published a consultation paper seeking...more
3/7/2024
/ Capital Raising ,
Consultation ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services and Markets Act ,
HM Treasury ,
Privately Held Corporations ,
Retail Investors ,
Sandbox ,
Trading Platforms ,
Trading Policies ,
UK
On 23 February 2024, the Investment Association (IA) issued its annual letter to FTSE 350 remuneration committee chairs providing an update on the IA’s Principles of Remuneration and emerging views on remuneration matters....more
3/6/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Competition ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Reporting ,
Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ,
Investors ,
London Stock Exchange ,
Pensions ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Remuneration ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
On 20 December 2023, the FCA published consultation paper CP23/31 setting out detailed proposals for the new UK listing regime....more
This publication provides an overview of the top trending issues as we approach this year’s AGM and reporting season. We highlight key areas of AGM practices and reporting that will need to adapt to recent legal and...more
1/15/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Investors ,
Proxy Season ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Reporting Requirements ,
UK
An overview of the key developments around reforming the UK capital markets regime following Lord Hill's UK Listings Review, launched as part of the UK government's plan to strengthen the UK's position as a leading global...more
The consultation paper confirms a radical approach to bolster the international competitiveness of the UK markets and return to a disclosure-based listing framework.
The FCA today published consultation paper CP23/31...more