The Financial Conduct Authority has published the long-awaited findings of its review into UK-based dark pools.

The anonymous trading venues - which are run by exchanges, investment banks and brokers - are designed to help investors buy and sell large blocks of stock without showing their hands to the market. But they have attracted regulatory scrutiny across the globe, particularly in the US, because of perceived unfair access, inaccurate promotional materials and potential exploitation by more technologically savvy users.