Simon Wood: "Yes, we can!" Positivity and optimism carried Barack Obama who's in town this month to the White House… and they're exactly what's needed for the UK's capital markets. Welcome back to Mergerspresso, I'm Simon Wood.

Lucy Robson: And I'm Lucy Robson. We have long been positive about the future for the UK's equity markets. It's all about the right positioning. So here's our three-point manifesto to invigorate the UK's capital markets.

Simon Wood: One: London needs a narrative. Who are we playing for? The US will always be the home of mega-cap and big tech stocks… but there's a huge market beyond that. London leads the way on financial services, and midcaps get lost in the US. List in London and you're a major story. List in the US and you're barely a blip.

Lucy Robson: Two: International attraction. Court global issuers, as well as domestic. And secondary listings are just as key. International presence is a hallmark of credibility – a halo effect, bringing capital and demanding to be taken seriously. And yes, streamlining annual reporting and revisiting stewardship are critical here.

Simon Wood: Three: Liquidity. We need a deep dive on liquidity initiatives. Noting can be off-limits: pension reform, stamp duty breaks, tax deductible listing costs and incentives for retail shareholders. One bullet solution is unlikely: we need a carefully mixed cocktail of options.

Lucy Robson: So easy, then! London's fundamentals remain strong: it's a leading global financial hub, the world's second-largest equities market on many metrics and an existing pool of internationally diversified issuers.

Simon Wood: Absolutely. So get these initiatives right, and London's equity markets will be set up for years to come.

Lucy Robson: Yes, we can! Drop your views in the comments. Mergerpresso will be running more soundbites on London's capital markets through the autumn. So catch you next time.