In many respects the main London stock market and its unruly younger sibling Aim aren't nearly as chalk and cheese as they have sometimes been portrayed.
Both have been enjoying a boom in new listings and a surge in takeover activity. In fact, in the year to date takeovers on Aim have hit a 14-year high, and in 2020 Aim takeover deals made up more than half of all London Stock Exchange deals.
Ready availability of cash alongside cheap financing, bargain valuations and, for trade buyers, the opportunity to create operational and financial synergies are all factors driving the current takeover spree.