ShareSoc Blog

The ShareSoc blog provides news and informal commentary from directors, members and other contributors. Entries reflect the personal views of the authors, which do not necessarily reflect ShareSoc’s formal position. Contributors may hold shares in the companies mentioned. Nothing in this blog should be viewed as financial advice. You may submit comments on blog posts, but ShareSoc reserves the right to remove or edit inappropriate or defamatory submissions.

There is more news given in the News page of our web site and more analysis of news is provided in our monthly newsletter for members – see the Newsletters page.

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ShareSoc response to House of Commons Education Select Committee

Post Date: January 30, 2024

On 24 January 2024, ShareSoc submitted its response to the enquiry (click here to read the whole response), where we stressed the importance of educating about savings and investment and the potential role that ShareSoc could play to support teachers, e.g. via the use of ShareSoc Investing Basics videos and the ShareSoc Investor Academy. The House of Commons Education Committee will examine the current state of financial education in England and consider what steps need to be taken to ensure its delivery ...

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UKSA and ShareSoc Submission to Labour Party Review of Financial Services

Post Date: January 25, 2024

  UKSA and ShareSoc have made the attached submission to the Labour Party’s review, highlighting the issues with the current financial services market that most concern us. 

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Woodford Campaign Update 15

Post Date: January 25, 2024

An update following the court hearing on 18th and 19th January Justice Richards reserved his judgement on whether to Sanction the Link Scheme at the end of the Hearing on 18/19 January. It is now expected early in February. Initially, he plans to circulate a draft to those who were represented at the Scheme Hearing. Schemes of Arrangement (a mechanism generally used for insolvencies and mergers) are normally relatively straightforward with judgement announced on the day. The delay suggests that, at the very ...

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2024 Macro Outlooks

Post Date: January 23, 2024

New ShareSoc Investor Academy resources just for ShareSoc Full members A new resource hub for those interested in the bigger picture and how it might affect your investing strategy: includes a wide variety of downloadable Macro level financial and economic analysis, offering a wide array of perspectives and insights from leading financial entities and experts. It features a comprehensive list of links to PDFs and reports from various banks, asset managers, private equity firms and other financial institutions. Click here to access the ...

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Digitisation Taskforce Interim Report follow up

Post Date: January 18, 2024

ShareSoc and UKSA continue to work closely on the important issue of shareholder rights. We wrote to Sir Douglas Flint stressing our concerns with the Digitisation Taskforce Interim Report and requested to meet. Representatives from UKSA and ShareSoc met Sir Douglas on 11 December. Most attendees thought it was useful and Charles Henderson has written to Sir Douglas to confirm the key points of the meeting: Dear Sir Douglas Digitisation Taskforce Interim Report follow up Thank you for your recent meeting that enabled us (UKSA and ...

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SIGnet Investors Network Launches New Group in Reading 

Post Date: January 16, 2024

  SIGnet is excited to announce the launch of a new in-person Investors group based in Reading. All levels of investing experience are welcome to join. The convener of the new Reading group will be Jez Dyer. Jez has been an active investor for 20 years, and a member of the SIGnet Henley Group for the past 10 years. Jez also runs a project management consultancy. You are invited to the initial online launch meeting to hear more about the group, meet other investors, ...

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Woodford Campaign Update 14

Post Date: January 16, 2024

Vote outcome and Court Hearing 18 Jan 2024  OUTCOME OF SCHEME MEETING  A single meeting of Scheme Creditors (the Scheme Meeting) was held on 13 December 2023. Work is ongoing to verify the votes cast at the Scheme Meeting, however, provisional numbers are set out below.   Over 54,000 Scheme Creditors attended the Scheme Meeting in person, or by proxy. Of the Scheme Creditors who voted, approximately 93.7% in number, representing approximately 96.1% in value, voted in favour of the Scheme.  Of the three voting ...

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Press Release 125: Defective Legislation Thwarts Europa Oil Shareholders

Post Date: January 12, 2024

ShareSoc was recently approached by one of its members for assistance in the case of Europa Oil. Dr Erika Syba and others, who collectively own more than 5% of Europa’s shares, sought to requisition a general meeting of the company. The Companies Act stipulates that members of a company collectively owning more than 5% of its shares are entitled to requisition general meetings. Unfortunately, however, Erika’s shares are held in nominee accounts, like the vast majority of individual shareholders’ shares. Indeed, shares held ...

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