Investors in investment trusts look set to get a better price for selling their shares, after the government this week changed the rules on the disclosure of shareholders’ positions in companies.

The move will prevent major shareholders from concealing their positions and putting pressure on boards to make decisions that may not be in the interests of retail shareholders. From September next year, anyone with a position of more than 3 per cent in a company – including those holding shares through contracts for difference (CFDs) – will have to declare it.