CMC CapX launches ‘Spotlight’ to connect listed firms with retail investors

There is a massive problem with investor engagement in the UK. At our London Summit, one of the key themes was that in the US, people love to invest and they love to learn about companies. But in the UK, it’s really hard for public companies to get their story out to retail investors.

But there are ways you can find out more about companies,

• The London Stock Exchange has some great company profile pages, but they are more factual than fun.
• Investor Meet Company, has done well, signing up over 800 companies to tell their story via Youtube videos.
• Stockomendation has consolidated stock tips from UK pundits.
• Investegate is still fighting the good fight with it’s RNS feed.
• The discussion boards on LSE.co.uk are populated by shareholders discussing small caps.

And now,  CMC CapX, the capital market division of CMC Markets has launched Spotlight, which hopes to help UK-listed companies communicate and engage with retail investors.

Because, well, if no one knows about a company, they won’t buy the shares, and they, therefore, won’t go up!

Spotlight has been developed under CMC’s capital markets arm CapX, and is designed to modernise how companies present themselves to individual shareholders, offering a more transparent and accessible channel for engagement. It forms part of a broader push to widen access to investment opportunities across IPOs, secondary placings and private markets.

Ten companies have already signed up ahead of launch, suggesting early demand for tools that bridge the gap between listed firms and the growing base of retail investors.

Spotlight enables companies to build dynamic profiles and share interactive presentations from senior leadership, giving investors deeper insight into business strategy, performance and future plans. By removing some of the traditional barriers between corporates and shareholders, the platform aims to make it easier for individuals to understand and engage with the companies they invest in.

Tom Curran, Head of Corporate Broking at CMC Markets, said

Effective communication is increasingly critical in modern capital markets. He noted that Spotlight offers firms a scalable way to tell their story, while providing investors with clearer access to management and decision-making.

CMC’s Spotlight launch comes as retail participation in equity markets continues to rise, driven by increased accessibility through trading platforms and a shift towards self-directed investing. Platforms like Spotlight are emerging as companies look to adapt their investor relations strategies to this changing audience.

CMC Markets expects Spotlight to support further growth of its CapX division, with plans to expand internationally, including into Australia, where demand for digital-first investor engagement tools is also increasing.

CMC itself is a publicly listed company worth just shy of £1bn, with the CMCX share price up 61% over the last year, so hopefully, this can help create more British public success stories.