Britain | Shein on?

The potential listing of Shein is a test of London’s allure

It would also intensify scrutiny of the fast-fashion giant

Atomsphere of the SHEIN activation at Creamfield in Chelmsford, England.
Photograph: Getty Images

At its peak in 2005 the London Stock Exchange (LSE) attracted nearly one in five companies that went public globally. In 2023 that share was around 1% (see chart 1). To arrest this alarming decline the City’s regulators are loosening listing rules. And to show that it can still be a venue for blockbuster debuts, the LSE is chasing what would be its biggest-ever initial public offering (IPO)—for Shein, a fast-fashion giant and one of the most valuable startups in the world.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Shein on?”

From the July 20th 2024 edition

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