Dark trades' risk destroying London's stock markets

Jill Treanor, City Editor· May 24, 2026 · 5:06 AM UTC ·4 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 22 views

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

A rise in dark trading is threatening the integrity of London's stock markets, according to a senior official at the London Stock Exchange. Charlie Walker expressed concern that the decreasing volume of trades through official channels could hinder effective price setting for shares. The UK currently has the lowest proportion of lit trading among major markets, raising alarms about potential market breakdown without regulatory intervention.

Key facts

▪Charlie Walker, deputy chief executive of the LSE, warned that dark trading could undermine price integrity.
▪The UK has the lowest proportion of lit trading in any major market, with only around 30 percent traded via exchanges.
▪If formal trading activity continues to decline, it may lead to unrealistic share prices.

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Original publisher	Hacker News (Newest)
Canonical URL	https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/dark-trades-risk-destroying-stock-markets-ability-to-operate-mgk0xs679
Publication time	Sun, 24 May 2026 05:06:56 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-05-24T05:37:31.034Z
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand

‘Dark trades’ risk destroying London’s stock markets Charlie Walker, deputy head of the LSE, said a fall in trading through official channels could make it difficult for share prices to be set effectively The UK now has the lowest proportion of “lit” trading in any major marketJAMES MANNING/PA Jill Treanor, City Editor Saturday May 23 2026, 3.00pm BST, The Sunday Times Listen 0:00 / • 3:32 min Share Share this article Email Twitter Facebook Link Save Prefer us on Google A rise in share trading on so-called dark markets risks destroying the integrity of prices on the London Stock Exchange, one of its most senior officials has warned — raising fears that share trading could break down without regulatory intervention.

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