Main Market and AIM

When a company chooses to join the London Stock Exchange, it can list shares on the Main Market or seek admission to AIM.

Companies listing on the Main Market have to satisfy certain regulatory criteria, providing audited statements for at least three years and being valued at £700,000 or more. Over 1500 companies are listed on the Main Market and some of the biggest are capitalised at more than £90 billion.

AIM was created by the London Stock Exchange in 1995 to offer smaller companies the chance to raise money from outside investors. Since then over 3000 smaller, growing companies have joined AIM. Currently there are around 1450 companies on the market operating across 39 sectors in 100 countries.