At the heart of global financial markets

Since its foundation in 1571, London Stock Exchange has grown a global footprint from a strong UK heritage. The UK has a history of being a great place to start and grow a business – and the innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism that has always been the key to the UK’s success, is tangibly demonstrated by the companies listed and traded on our markets.

From dynamic start-ups to established FTSE 100 firms, London Stock Exchange is proud to offer a range of capital raising and trading options to suit different company needs and offer access to one of the world’s deepest and most diverse pools of global investment capital.  For UK companies, a London Stock Exchange listing maximises access to long-term patient capital and liquidity, helping companies attract an unparalleled range of domestic and international investors.   

The Main Market, our flagship market for larger, more established companies continues to attract UK mid- and large-cap businesses from across all sectors.  Meanwhile, AIM provides growing companies with access to a set of institutional and retail investors and a supportive advisory community who understand the needs of entrepreneurial businesses.

From start-up to stardom

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the drivers of growth in our economy, creating jobs and supporting business growth. Their dynamism plays a huge part in the UK’s ability to innovate and export, and, in doing so, creates high-quality jobs for the next generation.  At London Stock Exchange Group, we are proud to support the growth of our SME community through the annual publication of our 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report, celebrating Britain’s fastest-growing and dynamic businesses, and ELITE, a pioneering platform and ecosystem that helps private, ambitious companies grow and raise capital.

ELITE offers company executives access to the skills, knowledge and networks they need to scale up their businesses.  ELITE connects management teams to advisers, experts, and business leaders as well as each other, giving them the confidence to navigate and maximise opportunities for growth. ELITE also operates its own funding platform to enable efficient access to capital from a wide range of private and professional investors (debt and equity providers), helping companies achieve their potential. We remain passionate about supporting companies from across the UK and in 2019, we launched ELITE Scotland in collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.