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.

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Big Miners and How Far Ahead Do You Look?

Post Date: July 9, 2022

This article represents the views of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. The last couple of days have seen a jump in the share prices of big miners such as Rio Tinto (RIO) and BHP (BHP). They have risen as much as 5% over the last two days, after falling substantially from their peaks at the start of June. The price of BHP shares has been affected however by the free distribution of shares in Woodside Energy (WDS) on the ...

Comments on GB Group and Voting Considerations

Post Date: July 5, 2022

This article represents the view of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. GB Group (GBG) is a provider of digital location, identity verification and fraud prevention systems. Because of the need to identify people quickly and at low cost in the digital world, it has been a great success in the last few years and has become one of the largest AIM companies. Revenue has grown from £87m to £242m in the last 5 years although profits have been less ...

Baroness Altmann Announced as Keynote Speaker for ShareSoc Woodford Webinar – 19th July

Post Date: July 1, 2022

Baroness Altmann, Consumer Finance champion, Member of the House of Lords and ex-Pensions Minister to speak at ShareSoc Woodford Webinar “The Cavalry is Coming” on 19 July at 4.30pm. Law firms Leigh Day and Harcus Parker joined forces and merged their claims via a Group Litigation Order (GLO*), announced on 15 June 2022. ShareSoc’s webinar on 19 July 2022 provides updates on progress, why the GLO is a big step forward and the impending deadline for joining a legal claim. ...

Representing Individual Investors: proposed sustainability standards webinar on Thursday 30 June, 12:30 – 14:00

Post Date: June 27, 2022

One of ShareSoc's primary functions is to represent individual investors. we do this by lobbying Government and Regulators about individual investor needs, and by campaigning for change from government, regulators, financial service providers. Alongside this we network, inform and educate investors though events, company presentations, SIGnet groups, educational content, newsletter, blogs, tweets and emails. These elements combine to make the investing experience better for our members. ShareSoc has been working hard for many years to improve its relationships, networking and influence with ...

More about Skin In The Game – SEC Chair sells shares

Post Date: June 26, 2022

This article reflects the personal view of Cliff Weight and does not necessarily coincide with ShareSoc Policy. Cliff Weight is a director of ShareSoc. Cliff owns shares in SEC. Nothing in this article should be viewed as advice. A chair selling into the market for no good reason on a day when the trust is buying back shares; not something you see every day. The RNS does not explain why! What little alignment of interest there was with shareholders has been further ...

Allenby Capital reports AIM Activity through end April 2022 – Markets quiet but not shut

Post Date: June 19, 2022

After AIM’s biggest year for fundraises since 2007, 2021 was always going to be a hard act to follow. 2022 has so far been quiet but the market isn’t shut with funds still being raised for attractive opportunities. £99.7m of new money was raised on AIM through to the end of April 2022 across 11 new joiners to the market, this compares to the £598m raised during the comparable period in 2021 from 21 new joiners. The secondary fundraise market has ...

Press Release 121:
Woodford compensation a step closer as legal claims merge

Post Date: June 15, 2022

Applying for a Group Litigation Order (GLO) is a major step forward in seeking compensation for those who lost money investing in Woodford Equity Income Fund Up to £1billion was lost by individual investors Deadline for investors in WEIF to join a legal claim is getting closer Law firms Leigh Day and Harcus Parker have announced that they will merge their legal actions, both of which target Link Fund Solutions as Authorised Corporate Director in the failed Woodford Equity Income Fund. ...

Blancco Update and Campaign Closure

Post Date: June 13, 2022

BLANCCO (BLTG) We have closed this campaign as at 12 May 2022. The campaign achieved one objective of a fine of the auditors KPMG. However, the derisory amount (£3,500 plus costs of £2,743) questions whether the scale of the offence was fully recognised/punished by the regulator, the ICAEW. At the December 2020 Blancco AGM, the Chairman, Rob Woodward said that: * The FCA had posed a number of questions to the Company * The Company had answered those questions * The Company was never advised that ...

Payments for Order Flow – plans for a ban in the EU

Post Date: June 9, 2022

ShareSoc supports Better Finance’s proposals for the EU, which would bring the EU into line with UK practice. On 30 May 2022 Better Finance (who represent individual investors across Europe) issued a Press Release: Last chance for Member States to support EU citizens as investors and finally ban Payment for Order Flow (PFOF) PFOF is already banned by the FCA in the UK. See https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/finalised-guidance/fg12-13.pdf There is a useful and authoritative paper on PFOF in the UK here: https://www.cfainstitute.org/en/advocacy/policy-positions/payment-for-order-flow-in-the-united-kingdom It demonstrates that retail execution ...

The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) announces the winners of its Shareholder Communication Awards 2022.

Post Date: May 30, 2022

ShareSoc Directors Mark Northway and Cliff Weight recently met with the AIC (Association of Investment Companies), with whom we share many common aims. We are very supportive of the AIC's initiative to encourage Investment Trusts to communicate more actively, clearly and transparently with their shareholders and with the investor market. ShareSoc congratulates the 2022 award winners: Best Report and Accounts – Generalist Winner: The Merchants Trust The judges highlighted several aspects of The Merchants Trust’s report and accounts as outstanding. These included its innovative multi-channel approach ...

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