Close Brothers opens the market at the London Stock Exchange

On 24 July 2023 we opened the London Stock Exchange ("LSE") market for the first time in our 145-year history. We were invited after the successful completion of a 5-year senior bond transaction.

Mike Morgan, our Group Finance Director, and Andy Townsend, our Group Treasurer, rang the bell to open the LSE at 8.00 am. Following the opening, Mike gave a speech and both were presented with a glass tablet. Colleagues from our Finance, Treasury & Savings, and Investor Relations teams were also in attendance. 

Mike said, "being invited to open the LSE is a momentous occasion for Close Brothers and something we were honoured to do. Ringing the bell to open the markets is a landmark moment in my career. We've had a longstanding relationship with LSE since listing on the LSE in 1984 which helped our growth ambitions. Being able to celebrate our senior bond transaction here is a real testament to everyone's hard work at getting it over the line."

History of the LSE Market Open ceremony

The LSE Market Open ceremony is a globally recognised symbol of a world-class financial and business centre. Historically, the bell marked the beginning of the trading day on LSE's trading floor. In 1986, the deregulation of the market and dissolution of the trading floor saw an end to this long-standing tradition. However, in 2011, the LSE launched a new installation to revive this celebrated ceremony. 

The installation is one of the largest of its type in the world. Over 500 high-definition LED screens, a giant central illuminated cube and a bespoke 'Market Ceremony' mechanism make up the three-story installation, where market movement and prices are displayed throughout the day using real-time data.