Our Story
Trust and innovation since 1698
Jonathan’s Coffee House
John Castaing publishes a list of currency, stock and commodity prices at Jonathan’s Coffee House. It includes prices for gold, ducats, silver staters and pieces of eight.
The move to Sweeting’s Alley
A more formal club known as ‘New Jonathan’s’ or ‘The Stock Exchange’ opens in Sweeting’s Alley. The building had a frontage of about 35 feet with a dealing room on the ground floor and a coffee room on the first.
A neat, plain building
A new venue is built at Capel Court, next to the popular Mendoza’s Boxing Room. A gallery ran round around the main hall, equipped with desks and bookcases, any member requiring a book would call up to a clerk to throw it down.
Playing by the rules
The ‘First Rule Book’ is published, covering issues from trade settlement to defaults. Setting off fireworks, and footballs, is forbidden at the exchange.
Telegraph revolution
The telegraph machine is adopted by the Exchange, and by 1866 prices on the floor of the New York Exchange are available in London 20 minutes later, instead of 16 days.
Ticker tape to telephone
The introduction of the ticker tape machine allows price information to be transmitted almost instantly. It is followed in 1880 by the telephone.
Aiding the war effort
The Exchange plays a crucial role in the liquidation of almost a quarter of British overseas securities in order to finance the First World War.
A new motto
The Exchange receives its coat of arms from the College of Arms, along with the motto Dictum Meum Pactum – ‘My Word is My Bond’.
Rocket strike
Although the Exchange suffers repeated damage during the Second World War it remains open except for one day in 1945, when a V2 rocket makes a direct hit.
Real-time prices
The Market Price Display System is introduced, giving brokers access to the real-time prices of more than 700 leading securities.
Stock Exchange Tower
The Exchange moves to 125 Old Broad Street where, in contrast to the old building, Stock Exchange Tower stands 100m tall with 26 floors.
The £4bn listing
The UK government floats 50.2% of British Telecom for £4 billion, creating the largest company listed on London Stock Exchange.
FTSE 100 is launched
In partnership with the Financial Times, a real-time index of the 100 biggest companies by market capitalisation is launched – the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index, or FTSE 100.
‘Big Bang’ in the City
The market is deregulated in what becomes known as ‘the ‘Big Bang’ with computerised trading replacing the old pit-style trading floor, leading to a huge increase in trading activity.
AIM is launched
The Alternative Investment Market (AIM) launches, giving smaller growth companies access to investor capital. Initially, 10 companies are quoted.
Automatic trade matching
A three-year project leads to trading, settlement and information systems being replaced by Stock Exchange Electronic Trading Services (SETS); trade orders are now matched automatically.
Our new home
London Stock Exchange moves to its current headquarters at 10 Paternoster Square, near St Paul’s Cathedral.
Borsa Italiana
London Stock Exchange merges with Italian Stock Exchange Borsa Italiana, creating London Stock Exchange Group.
Green Bond Segments
One of the first exchanges globally to launch dedicated segments for green bond issuers, since then we have welcomed landmark green bonds from around the world.
International Securities Market (ISM)
The ISM is launched to provide fixed income issuers with an efficient and direct customer-centric admission process. ISM achieved great success with its 100th bond after just two years and continues to grow.
Issuer Services
London Stock Exchange launches new digital hub for its where their benefits of being part of our listed community are maximised by the access to unique solutions.
Shanghai-London Stock Connect
This pioneering partnership and fungible cross-listing mechanism between our two exchanges enables London-listed corporates to issue CDRs in Shanghai & Shanghai-listed corporates to issue GDRs in London.
Sustainable finance initiatives
The Green Economy Mark launched recognising listed companies with 50% or more of revenues from environmental solutions, while the Sustainable Bond Market (SBM) incorporates new Sustainability, Social and Issuer-Level Segments.
A year of anniversaries
In 2020, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first ETF listing in London, as well as AIM’s 25th anniversary. AIM has become the most successful growth market in the world.
A record year for IPOs
In 2021, London Stock Exchange was the largest centre for IPOs globally outside of the US and Greater China, welcoming over 120 inspiring companies to our markets.
Supporting the evolution of Private Markets
The London Stock Exchange announced its strategic partnership with Floww, driving efficient access to primary capital and liquidity in the private markets.
The Main Market
The most significant reforms in a generation for the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market, making the listing rules simpler and more flexible for companies that want to join the Exchange and for those already listed.
Private Securities Market
The London Stock Exchange becomes the first FCA-approved PISCES venue launching the Private Securities Market. The market allows private companies to access liquidity for their shareholders and eligible investors access to private company shares. The auction technology uses the same technology that powers London’s markets every single day.
AIM
This is my AIM launches, a refreshed identity and new rules to support ambitious founders, investors and advisers globally. AIM continues to drive innovation and long-term economic growth as Europe’s largest growth market.