Details Last Updated: Saturday, 26 December 2020
The London Stock Exchange, or LSE, is one of the world's oldest stock markets, with a rich history dating back to 1698. The exchange began its life in the coffee houses of 17th century London, when John Castaing began issuing "at this Office in Jonathan's Coffee-house" a list of stock and commodity prices called "The Course of the Exchange and other things."
History of the London Stock Exchange
In 1773, the brokers erected their own building in Sweeting's Alley, with a dealing room on the ground floor and a coffee room above. This location was briefly known as "New Jonathan's," but members soon change the name to "The Stock Exchange."
The Stock Exchange Tower, which was located on Threadneedle Street / Old Broad Street was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1972, and housed the Trading Floor where members would traditionally meet to conduct business. In July 2004, the London Stock Exchange moved from Threadneedle Street to its present location in Paternoster Square (EC4), close to St Paul's Cathedral, which is still within the "Square Mile" also known as the City of London.
London Stock Exchange Strategy
The stated strategy of the London Stock Exchange is to compete globally in the market for financial transaction services and become the stock market of choice. The Exchange intends to grow their existing business as well as the reach and scale of their operations. They intend to do this through business development initiatives, acquisitions, joint ventures, and alliances where appropriate.
Core Business Areas
As it is organized today, the LSE has four core business areas or offerings to the market:
Equity Markets: enabling companies from around the world to raise capital needed to grow by listing securities in a well-regulated market. Access to these markets is provided through the Main Market and AIM.
Trading Services: providing a fast and efficient trading platform, to be used by brokers and firms around the world to buy and sell securities.
Market Information Services: supplying high quality, real-time information and news to the financial community.
Derivatives: expanding to become the world's most efficient and liquid market for equity derivatives. The EDX London hopes to move the LSE beyond their core equities markets.
Facts and Figures
The following are some of the facts and figures available for the London Stock Exchange, including:
There are more than 500 firms worldwide that trade as members of the London Stock Exchange.
The LSE claims to be the most international of all stock exchanges, with companies from over 70 countries admitted to trading in their markets.
The exchange is arguably the largest stock market in Europe.
In November 2020, there were roughly 32.3 million trades, involving $213.0 billion (USD).
Approximately 2,339 companies are listed on the London Stock Exchange, with a total market value of $3.72 trillion (USD). (November 2020)
London Stock Exchange Holiday Schedule
The following tables contain the 2020 and 2021 holiday schedules for the London Stock Exchange.
LSE Holiday Schedule 2021
Holiday | Date |
New Year | January 1, 2021 |
Good Friday | April 02, 2021 |
Easter Monday | April 05,2021 |
Early May | May 03, 2021 |
Spring | May 31, 2021 |
Summer | August 30, 2021 |
Christmas Day | December 27, 2021 |
Boxing Day | December 28, 2021 |
On Christmas Eve (celebrated December 24, 2021) and New Year’s Eve (celebrated December 31, 2021), all market hours for the LSE’s trading services and markets will, unless stated otherwise, commence at their normal scheduled times and will close from 12:30 GMT (13:30 CET).
LSE Holiday Schedule 2020
Holiday | Date |
New Year | January 1, 2020 |
Good Friday | April 10, 2020 |
Easter Monday | April 13,2020 |
Early May | May 8, 2020 |
Spring | May 25, 2020 |
Summer | August 31, 2020 |
Christmas Day | December 25, 2020 |
Boxing Day | December 28, 2020 |
On Christmas Eve (celebrated December 24, 2020) and New Year’s Eve (celebrated December 31, 2020), all market hours for the LSE’s trading services and markets will, unless stated otherwise, commence at their normal scheduled times and will close from 12:30 GMT (13:30 CET).
LSE Hours of Operation
Hours of operation / trading occurs on the London Stock Exchange in accordance with the schedule appearing in the following table.
Trade Reporting | 07:15 - 07:50 |
Opening Auction | 07:50 - 08:00 |
Continuous Trading | 08:00 - 16:20 |
VWAP | 16:20 - 16:30 |
Closing Auction | 16:30 - 16:35 |
Order Maintenance | 16:35 - 17:00 |
Trade Reporting Only | 17:00 - 17:15 |
Note: UK Time is in the Western European Time Zone (WET), which is the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in UK Time, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Stock Market Alternatives
During the last few years, cryptocurrencies became more popular in the financial market. Cryptocurrencies statistics show that Bitcoin has increased in value from 2012 to April of 2022 by 208,900%. Also, cryptocurrencies can be used as a payment method.
Additional Resources
- Investors that trade stocks will understand the concept of a stock exchange, but novice investors may not understand the subtle differences between the major exchanges. For example, why is it that some companies choose to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange while others are traded on the NASDAQ?
Moneyzine EditorNovember 6th, 2024 
At one time, the American Stock Exchange, or Amex, was the third largest exchange in the United States, positioned behind the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. Prior to the merger with NYSE Euronext, over 570 companies were listed on the Amex, with a market value in excess of $565 billion.Moneyzine EditorJanuary 5th, 2024
The Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX) operates Australia's national exchange for equities, derivatives, and fixed interest securities such as bonds. The exchange also provides comprehensive market information and data to a wide range of traders, brokers, and commissions.Moneyzine EditorJanuary 8th, 2024
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), also known as the Stock Exchange Mumbai, is one of the oldest exchanges in all of Asia, dating back to 1875 when it was known as the Native Share and Stock Brokers Association.Moneyzine EditorJanuary 9th, 2024- We live in a global economy; however, some of the largest stock markets in the world are located in the United States, and they do follow an American holiday schedule. There are currently nine holidays on which these stock markets are closed, as well as special rules that often indicate the early close of these exchanges.Moneyzine EditorSeptember 21st, 2023
