LR 15.2 Requirements for listing

To be listed, an applicant must comply with:

1. (1)

   LR 2 (Requirements for listing);

2. (2)

   the following provisions of LR 6 (Additional requirements for premium 2listing (commercial company):4

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   1. (a)

      LR 6.2.4R (1)8 and LR 6.2.4R(2)8, if the applicant is a new applicant for the admission of equity2 shares and it has published or filed audited accounts;

   2. (b)

      LR 6.2.6R8;

   3. (c)

      LR 6.7.1R, LR 6.9.1R(1), LR 6.9.2R, LR 6.14.1R to LR 6.14.5G, and LR 6.15.1R8;4 and

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3. (3)

   LR 15.2.2 R to LR 15.2.13A R1.

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2The FCA will not admit shares of a company incorporated in a third country9 that are not listed either in its country of incorporation or in the country in which a majority of its shares are held, unless the FCA is satisfied that the absence of the listing is not due to the need to protect investors.

An applicant must invest and manage its assets in a way which is consistent with its object of spreading investment risk.

1. (1)

   1An applicant and its subsidiary undertakings must not conduct any trading activity which is significant in the context of its group as a whole.

2. (2)

   This rule does not prevent the businesses forming part of the investment portfolio of the applicant from conducting trading activities themselves.

1. (1)

   No more than 10%, in aggregate, of the value of the total assets of an applicant1 at admission may be invested in other listed 5closed-ended investment funds.

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2. (2)

   The restriction in (1) does not apply to investments in closed-ended investment funds which themselves have published investment policies to invest no more than 15% of their total assets in other listed 5closed-ended investment funds.

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1. (1)

   If an applicant principally invests its funds in another company or fund that invests in a portfolio of investments (a "master fund"), the applicant must ensure that:1

   1. (a)

      the master fund's investment policies are consistent with the applicant's published investment policy and provide for spreading investment risk; and1

   2. (b)

      the master fund in fact invests and manages its investments in a way that is consistent with the applicant's published investment policy and spreads investment risk.1

2. (2)

   Paragraph (1) applies whether the applicant invests its funds in the master fund directly or indirectly through other intermediaries.1

3. (3)

   Where the applicant invests in the master fund through a chain of intermediaries between the applicant and the master fund, the applicant must ensure that each intermediary in the chain complies with paragraphs (1)(a) and (b).1

An applicant must have a published investment policy that contains information about the policies which the closed-ended investment fund will follow relating to asset allocation, risk diversification, and gearing, and that includes maximum exposures.

The board of directors or equivalent body of the applicant must be able to act independently:1

1. (1)

   of any investment manager appointed to manage investments of the applicant; and1

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2. (2)

   if the applicant (either directly or through other intermediaries) has an investment policy of principally investing its funds in another company or fund that invests in a portfolio of investments ("a master fund"), of the master fund and of any investment manager of the master fund.1

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1LR 15.2.11R (2) does not apply if the company or fund which invests its funds in another company or fund is a subsidiary undertaking of the applicant.

3For the purposes of LR 15.2.11 R:

1. (1)

   the chair10 of the board or equivalent body of the applicant must be independent; and

2. (2)

   a majority of the board or equivalent body of the applicant must be independent (the chairman may be included within that majority).

1For the purposes of LR 15.2.11 R and LR 15.2.12-A R, the following are not independent:3

1. (1)

   directors, employees, partners, officers or professional advisers of or to:

   1. (a)

      an investment manager of the applicant; or

   2. (b)

      a master fund or investment manager referred to in LR 15.2.11R (2); or

   3. (c)

      any other company in the same group as the investment manager of the applicant; or

2. (2)

   directors, employees or professional advisers of or to other investment companies or funds that are:

   1. (a)

      managed by the same investment manager as the investment manager to the applicant; or3

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   2. (b)

      managed by any other company in the same group as the investment manager to the applicant.

1A person referred to in LR 15.2.12AR (1) or (2) who is a director of the applicant must be subject to annual re-election by the applicant's shareholders.

6The board of directors or equivalent body of the applicant must be in a position to effectively monitor and manage the performance of its key service providers, including any investment manager of the applicant.