UK capital markets are undergoing their biggest regulatory transformation in a decade, and the FCA joins Clara Melia to break down exactly what’s changing, why, and what it means for issuers, sponsors, and IR teams.

Sarah Hone, Daniel Holmes, and James Hunt explain the FCA’s shift toward a more disclosure-based regime designed to improve competitiveness, speed up transactions, and maintain high standards of market integrity. They discuss the new single commercial company listing category, the removal of certain shareholder approval requirements, aggregated short selling disclosures, and the sweeping prospectus reforms arriving in January 2026.

The conversation also tackles day-to-day disclosure challenges, from leaks to late results to complex M&A situations, as well as the regulator’s increasing focus on ESG, greenwashing, and technological change; including the safe use of AI in reporting and capital markets activity.

Packed with practical guidance, real-world examples, and forward-looking insight, this episode is essential listening for anyone shaping or operating within the UK’s listed company ecosystem.

In This Episode:

• How the FCA monitors live market disclosures and coordinates across UK regulators
• The four pillars of the 2025–2030 FCA strategy: support growth, fight crime, help consumers, be a smarter regulator
• New short selling transparency rules and their impact
• Common disclosure pitfalls and how IR teams can avoid them
• The new listing regime: simplification, flexibility, and investor-focused disclosure
• PS25/9: What changes for issuers in the 2026 prospectus regime
• MAR hot spots: leaks, M&A, guidance misses, CEO transitions
• ESG disclosures, sustainability labels and greenwashing risks
• AI in capital markets: benefits, risks and FCA expectations
• Three practical checks every issuer should prioritise now

Quotes:

• “Disclosure is the foundation of investor trust, and the new regime puts even greater responsibility on issuers to get it right.”
• “Inside information must be announced as soon as possible. You cannot offset bad news with hoped-for future good news.”
• “AI brings huge potential but uploading inside information into open systems is almost certainly an unlawful disclosure.”

Resources:

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn

Connect with James on LinkedIn

FCA changes to the UK Short Selling Regime: consultation materials