London is one of the three command centers for the global economy. It is currently the largest financial center in the world and the London share market is reaping the benefits of this economic boom. The London Stock Exchange, subdivided into the Main Market, Alternative Investment Markets and the EDX London, is the largest stock exchange in the world.
Share trading in the London Stock Exchange features the world's largest companies. It is one of the leading equity exchanges and it aims to compete in the global market for financial transaction services.
Alternative Investments Market:
The regulatory system of the Alternative Investments Market is not as stringent as the Main Market. Smaller companies can float their shares here without much hassle because of its flexibility. There are more than 2200 companies listed on the Alternative Market, where there is no need for capitalization and no stipulated amount of shares issued. The FTSE GROUP, which is a joint venture of the London Stock Exchange and the Financial Times, has three indexes for measurements. They are:
- FTSE AIM US 50 Index
- FTSE AIM US 100 Index
- FTSE AIM All Share Index
EDX London:
At this exchange, participants can trade in both standardized and flexible futures and options.
Market data collected from the leading stock exchanges of the world is received and distributed here at the London Exchange. In 2006, the Exchange introduced a scheme allowing market makers to advertise larger sizes in tighter spreads for less liquid stocks.