British media: UK government urges private equity firms to promote company listings in London

Golden Ten Data reported on July 16 that, according to the Financial Times, over the past two months, the UK government has been in communication with several private equity firms to inquire why they have not encouraged their UK portfolio companies to go public in London. The report states that the UK Treasury and the Prime Minister's Office are exploring measures to revitalize listing activity on the London Stock Exchange. Private equity firms participating in these discussions include General Atlantic, Elliott Investment Management, and EQT, all of which have met with government ministers and advisors. The UK government's actions come amid mounting concerns about the ongoing weakness of the UK IPO market. To date, the City of London has seen only one large IPO—the listing of the Uzbekistan National Investment Fund (UzNIF)—while several UK companies are reportedly considering postponing their London IPOs until 2027. The report notes that discussions have mainly focused on topics such as stamp duty on shares, pension reform, and how other European countries like Sweden encourage domestic investors to invest in their local stock markets.