BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust plc (BRGE) has announced the purchase of 16,963 of its Ordinary Shares at an average price of 563.91 pence per share, to be held in treasury. The transaction, dated 4 November 2026, will settle on 6 November 2026, after which the company's voting share capital will stand at 88,660,782 Ordinary Shares. The buyback increases the proportion of shares held in treasury to 24.82% of total issued share capital, a figure investors and regulatory reporters will need to note for disclosure purposes.

Key Points

  • BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust plc (BRGE)
  • The company purchased 16,963 Ordinary Shares at an average price of 563.91 pence per share to be held in treasury
  • Following settlement on 6 November 2026, voting share capital will be 88,660,782 Ordinary Shares; treasury shares will total 29,268,156, representing 24.82% of total issued share capital
  • Investors and market participants should use 88,660,782 as the relevant figure for FCA disclosure threshold calculations following settlement

BRGE Purchases 16,963 Ordinary Shares at Average 563.91p on 4 November 2026

BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust plc, a closed-ended investment trust focused on European equities and managed by BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, announced on 4 November 2026 that it had purchased 16,963 of its Ordinary Shares at an average price of 563.91 pence per share. The shares will be held in treasury rather than being cancelled. Treasury shares carry no voting rights and are excluded from the voting share capital figure used for regulatory reporting under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

Treasury Holding Rises to 29,268,156 Shares, Representing 24.82% of Total Issued Capital

Following settlement of the transaction on 6 November 2026, the total number of shares held in treasury will reach 29,268,156. The company's total issued share capital, including treasury shares, is 117,928,938 Ordinary Shares, meaning treasury holdings will account for 24.82% of that total. The voting share capital — the figure market participants must use under FCA rules when assessing whether a notification of interest is required — will be 88,660,782 Ordinary Shares after settlement. The announcement explicitly directs the market to use this lower, ex-treasury figure for all disclosure threshold calculations.

Regulatory Reporting Implications for Shareholders Tracking FCA Disclosure Thresholds

The company's disclosure highlights an important practical point for institutional and significant shareholders: under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, any assessment of whether a notifiable interest has been reached or changed must be based on the post-settlement voting share capital of 88,660,782 Ordinary Shares, not the gross total. As buyback activity progressively reduces the voting share pool, existing percentage holdings automatically increase in proportional terms, which could bring some shareholders closer to or above FCA notification thresholds even without any change in their absolute share count.

BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust's Ongoing Share Buyback Programme

Investment trusts such as BRGE commonly use share buybacks to manage discounts to net asset value, returning capital to shareholders while reducing the number of shares in circulation. The announcement does not disclose the total size or duration of the current buyback programme, nor does it provide commentary on the discount level or net asset value at the time of purchase. The company did not disclose these figures in the announcement. All enquiries regarding the transaction have been directed to Lucy Dina, Company Secretary at BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited.