Why have equity markets around the world, and in the UK in particular, been shrinking? According to Duncan Lamont and Douglas Abbott of Schroders, the answer is simple: a robust private equity industry means more companies are going private.

The two men joined Merryn Somerset Webb this week on the podcast Merryn Talks Money to discuss this state of affairs, both globally and in Britain where the situation has become extreme. There are 70% fewer listed companies in the UK today than was the case in 1996.

In this week’s aftershow, senior reporter John Stepek joins host Somerset Webb to discuss the solutions posited by Lamont and Abbott for tackling the disappearance of listed UK companies.