The 'Balls clauses' are a mixed blessing for the City

29 November 2006

The Investment Exchanges and Clearing Houses Bill, which went through all of its House of Commons stages yesterday, has the feel of emergency legislation, akin to wartime measures, with cross-party support carrying it rapidly towards Royal Assent. The bill addresses the danger that the London Stock Exchange, the main supplier of a public equity capital market to UK plc, could find itself saddled with regulatory baggage that makes it much less attractive to both its broker and issuer customers - and leaves its small and mid-cap companies casting around for an acceptable alternative trading venue.

House of Commons Research paper
Investment Exchanges Bill

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