Smaller UK firms need help to end 'doom loop', think tank says
LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) -Britain's smaller listed companies can reverse a "doom loop", driven by plummeting valuations and higher costs and regulation, with help frombroader tax exemptions and incentives, a think tank said on Thursday.
Smaller companies represent only 8% of the combined value of Britain's bourse. But they account for over 80% of listed UK companies, provide key jobs and investment and can become tomorrow's stockmarket darlings with help from the government, regulators and industry, New Financial said.
Two weeks before Finance Minister Rachel Reeves presents her first budget on Oct. 30, the think tank suggested extending exemptions from stamp duty, a tax on share trading, to include the smallest 250 listed firms along with differential rates on capital gains or dividends on British companies.
"Making recommendations on tax and incentives a few weeks before a budget ... is perhaps a foolish exercise.
"But there is an opportunity for a new government focused on growth to adjust incentives for investment in smaller companies," it said in an analysis on the decline in smaller listed companies.
Reeves, whose party came to power in July on a promise to get Britain's economy growing, has ruled out raising the rates of income tax, national insurance and value added tax, but has also said she has to fill a 22 billion pound ($29 billion) hole in the public finances.
Smaller listed companies have borne the brunt of a collapse in demand by institutional and retail investors. The number of smaller company market debuts plunged by 80% to just 22 over the past decade, while the value raised by new issues has dropped by 90%, New Financial said.
UK smaller company funds, meanwhile, have recorded a 36th consecutive month of outflows, while the number of local authority pension schemes with a dedicated allocation to the sector has fallen from 18 to just one over the past decade.
But Australia, Canada and Sweden, where smaller companies have been thriving, are offering hope. "A concerted effort by government, regulators and the industry can set smaller companies back on track," the think tank said.
($1 = 0.7683 pounds)
Reporting by Kirstin Ridley
Editing by Alexandra Hudson
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
