The British media: The UK Treasury plans to implement stamp duty relief for newly listed companies on the London Stock Exchange

On October 2nd, according to the British Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, the British Treasury plans to implement stamp duty relief for newly listed companies on the London Stock Exchange, a move that is due to concerns about the decline in the competitiveness of the British public capital markets. The measure will exempt investors from paying 0.5% stamp duty when buying shares in newly listed companies. The source said the relief could apply to two to three years after the company goes public. At present, the relevant tax exemption policy is already in place at the stage of IPO share issuance. Officials hope the move will increase market liquidity, incentivize companies to choose to list in London rather than competing cities such as New York, and also encourage more retail investors to invest in the British stock market. The number of listings in London has lagged behind the Angolan, Zagreb and Muscat exchanges this year, according to Dealogic, and financiers have been lobbying Mr. Reeves, the UK chancellor, to help revive London's stagnant listing market. In addition, several fintech companies also see the burden of stamp duty as a major obstacle in the choice of listing location.