smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Cash flow conundrums

As an owner-manager, seeing your cash flow steadily dwindle can...
Have your say »

RSS

Brickles foresees end of LSE era

Aug 12 2008

Simon Brickles, the chief executive of PLUS Markets Group, says competition from smaller exchanges including his own has seen ‘the end of the equity trading monopoly in the UK’. He predicts that by early 2009, neither the London Stock Exchange (LSE) nor any of its rivals will handle more than 50 per cent of trade in UK equities.

Former AIM chief Brickles has drawn confidence from PLUS’s first-half figures, which reveal shares worth £16.9 billion were traded on the market between January and June. That gives PLUS a market share of two per cent of total trading in UK equities.

Since introducing a new trading platform last year, PLUS has increased its share of trade in FTSE Small Cap companies to ten per cent by value, while it claims ‘almost 50 per cent’ of the trade in AIM stocks dual-trading on PLUS.

At the larger end of the market, the LSE is facing increased competition from rival exchanges Turquoise and Chi-X.

Its total share of trade in UK equities is now less than two-thirds, according to data from Thomson Reuters.

Comments

There are currently no comments on this article

Prize Draw

Free prize draw!

Smallbusiness.co.uk has teamed up with Avery® Quick&Clean™ Business Cards to offer five lucky readers the chance to win a copy of BBC Dragons' Den James Caan's new book The Real Deal and a pack of Avery® premium heavyweight business cards. To enter the prize draw, simply answer our question here

Polls

News

Interest rates slashed again

The Bank of England has announced another aggressive rate cut, reducing the base rate from three to two per cent.

Fit notes 'will not work'

The recent government move for staff to have fit notes will not work nor give increased flexibility for employers, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) says.

Businesses criticise rate increases

Companies are in uproar about plans to allow councils to increase business rates by two pence in the pound to pay for local development projects.

Internet saves £418 million in compliance

Companies have saved £418 million a year on employment law, as the administration cost of compliance is reduced with online tools.

Mandelson unveils £30 million tech fund

Technology firms who want to expand their business and raise equity finance of up to £2 million have been given access to £30 million in a new technology fund.

London firms get £23 million

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has welcomed a package of £23 million to help small to medium-sized businesses in the capital.

More EIB funding available to SMEs

The Bank of Scotland intends to make £250 million of funds available to SMEs in the next two weeks.

Now is the 'ideal time' for marketing

Consumers will be more open to direct marketing in the current economic climate as they are looking for more information before making a purchase, an expert states.

Data loss still a problem for SMEs

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rank backup as one of the highest computing priorities but half of these companies have experienced a loss, new research shows.

Small companies 'could go virtual'

Over 40 per cent of small companies would consider moving their entire office online to save money in the credit crunch, new research shows.

Small businesses 'hit with VAT burden'

Small firms will be especially burdened with administration costs from the reduction in value-added tax (VAT), according to the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

Guides & Tips

Redundancy is not the only option

Many SMEs will have to control staffing costs over the coming months. Smallbusiness.co.uk has teamed up with Simon Kite, a partner at chartered accountants Saffery Champness, to offer some tips on how to cut costs and avoid the redundancy route

What benefits do staff want?

 Oval Financial Services’ Debby Hannaford explores how focus groups and surveys can be used to gain constructive and positive feedback about employee benefits packages

Automated hacking

What do the Sony Playstation game ‘SingStar Pop’ and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) have in common?

Store

FT Guide to Personal Tax

Formerly the Lloyds TSB Tax Guide, the FT Guide to Personal Tax is now published by Pearson Education. Written by Sara Williams, CEO of Vitesse Media Plc and Jonquil Lowe, this unique guide gives step-by-step advice to completing your tax return as well as 100 tax-saving tips.

FT Guide to Business Start Up

Formerly the Lloyds TSB Small Business Guide, the FT Guide to Business Start Up is now published by Pearson Education. Written by Sara Williams, CEO of Vitesse Media Plc, this unique guide has sold over two million copies. It offers practical advice about starting and running your own business.

Growth Company Investor

Growth Company Investor is widely recognised as the leading magazine for investors interested in AIM and smallcap companies. Published 10 times per year, and brought to you by an award-winning analyst team, it offers subscribers unrivalled insight into high-potential smaller companies. Subscribe today with a 50% discount in your first year.