Restrictions put off investors

Matthew Lynn

Proposals to regulate the activities of stock market analysts and clamp down on conflicts of interest could see them forced out of existence

It's hard to raise much sympathy for stock market analysts. These strange hybrid creatures, who are number-crunchers, forecasters, deal chasers and public relations people all at the same time, are the butt of many jokes. That doesn't mean we won't miss them when they are gone. Analysts are about to get regulated out of existence. And yet, as they fade beneath the waves, there is surprisingly little debate about what they were doing in the first place, or what will replace them. Last week, a document was published that could well condemn the profession to a swift demise. The International...