From January 2020 through October 2024, the value of money market funds under management in the United Kingdom (UK) remained relatively stable aside from one notable spike in value in October 2022, by January 2023, however, the spike had subsided, and fund levels had fallen below 50 million British pounds.

How are money market yields linked to inflation? The money market yields are influenced by inflation expectations. When inflation expectations rise, investors typically demand higher nominal yields to offset the anticipated decline in purchasing power. Market sentiment regarding inflation is reflected in these yields, which act as indicators for both investors and policymakers. The inflation rate for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the United Kingdom went from under one percent in March 2021 to a high of 11.1 percent in October 2022. Although inflation declined to 3.9 percent in October 2023, it remained well above the levels seen before 2021. Consequently, a significant increase in money market yields was observed. Beginning in 2022, the monthly average yields from the British government bonds continued to rise until they reached their peak in mid-2023, indicating higher inflation expectations.

What is LIBOR? The London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, is a benchmark interest rate that reflects the average interest rate at which major global banks lend to each other in the interbank market. It is used to establish interest rates for financial instruments such as adjustable-rate mortgages, business loans, and derivatives. The six-month overnight London Interbank Offered Rate based on the British pound increased month by month from 2022 onwards, reaching its peak in March 2023 at 4.74 percent. This increase in borrowing costs has a ripple effect throughout the financial system, which means higher interest rates for businesses and consumers overall.

The net value of retail sales of money market funds in the United Kingdom (UK) fluctuated considerably between January 2020 and January 2025. The net value of retail sales of money market funds was negative in January 2025 and amounted to -456 million British pounds. What are money market funds? Money market funds are a category of mutual funds that invest in liquid and short-term assets. The composition of money market assets is designed to provide investors with a predictable and relatively secure return on their investment while simultaneously preserving liquidity. In addition, the increasing inflow of money market funds signifies heightened investor demand for safety and liquidity, often triggered by rising risk aversion in the face of economic uncertainty or market volatility. In March 2020, the fund flow of money market funds in the United States jumped by over 18 percent, surging from 4,030 to 4,758 billion U.S. dollars. This significant rise in money market fund flows could be attributed to the elevated economic uncertainty and market turmoil resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. What do money market fund values indicate? The trajectory of the value of money market funds in a country reveals the sentiments of investors, the economic performance, and the evolution of the market. The ascending trend in these funds often indicates a flight to safety by those looking for security and liquidity, especially during times of increased market volatility or economic uncertainty. The value of money market funds in the United Kingdom remained quite stable, with a few exceptions. This indicates a general sense of security, low volatility, and a cautious approach to investing in the marketplace.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the outstanding debt securities from UK financial corporations was almost five times greater than those from non-financial corporations. The total outstanding debt amounted to 1.95 trillion U.S. dollars as of the fourth quarter of 2022, with the majority of outstanding corporate bonds being issued by financial corporations.

The monthly average yield on three, five and 12 month British Government Securities in the United Kingdom (UK) all increased towards the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022. By June 2024 the yield on three-month government bonds reached 5.23 percent, compared to 0.4 percent in January 2022.

The main stock market index in the United Kingdom (GB100) increased 479 points or 5.86% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from United Kingdom. United Kingdom Stock Market Index (GB100) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

As of December 2023, UK government debt more likely to be either short or long-term conventional gilts. Respectively, these types of bonds accounted for 28 and 24 percent of the total outstanding debt, while medium-term conventional gilts only accounted for 13 percent of the overall debt. Short-term gilts are government bonds with a maturity of seven years or less, medium a maturity of seven to 15 years, and long have a maturity of 15 to 50 years.

Graph and download economic data for Financial Market: Share Prices for United Kingdom (SPASTT01GBM661N) from Dec 1957 to Feb 2025 about stock market and United Kingdom.

The UK Capital Market Exchange Ecosystem is Segmented by Type of Market (primary Market and Secondary Market), Financial Instruments (debt and Equity), and Investors (retail Investors and Institutional Investors). The Report Offers Market Size and Forecasts for the UK Capital Market Exchange Ecosystem in Value (USD) for all the Above Segments.

The United Kingdom: Financial markets development: The latest value from 2021 is 0.854 index points, unchanged from 0.854 index points in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 0.239 index points, based on data from 158 countries. Historically, the average for the United Kingdom from 1980 to 2021 is 0.627 index points. The minimum value, 0.135 index points, was reached in 1981 while the maximum of 0.931 index points was recorded in 2007.

United Kingdom UK: Stocks Traded: Total Value data was reported at 2,357.017 USD bn in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,675.053 USD bn for 2013. United Kingdom UK: Stocks Traded: Total Value data is updated yearly, averaging 487.920 USD bn from Dec 1975 (Median) to 2014, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,947.700 USD bn in 2007 and a record low of 19.361 USD bn in 1977. United Kingdom UK: Stocks Traded: Total Value data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. The value of shares traded is the total number of shares traded, both domestic and foreign, multiplied by their respective matching prices. Figures are single counted (only one side of the transaction is considered). Companies admitted to listing and admitted to trading are included in the data. Data are end of year values converted to U.S. dollars using corresponding year-end foreign exchange rates.; ; World Federation of Exchanges database.; Sum; Stock market data were previously sourced from Standard & Poor's until they discontinued their 'Global Stock Markets Factbook' and database in April 2013. Time series have been replaced in December 2015 with data from the World Federation of Exchanges and may differ from the previous S&P definitions and methodology.

The Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA) - UK’s replacement for GBP London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR), administered by the Bank of England - amounted to 4.46 percent as of the end of February 2025. This is well above the value of 0.47 percent recorded at the end of January 2018. The LIBOR was one of the primary benchmarks for inter-bank short term lending interest rates around the world. It is calculated as an interest rate average using estimates submitted by the leading banks in London of how much they would be charged if they were to borrow from other banks. LIBOR was discontinued in the summer of 2023 and a variety of replacements have been offered since, among which the SONIA.

As of January 29, 2025, the FTSE index stood at 8,557.81 points - well above its average value of around 7,500 points in the past few years.On the 12th of March 2020, amid the escalating crisis surrounding the coronavirus and fears of a global recession, the FTSE 100 suffered the second largest one day crash in its history and the biggest since the 1987 market crash. On the 23rd of March, the FTSE index saw its lowest value this year to date at 4,993.89 but has since began a tentative recovery. With the continuation of the pandemic, the FTSE 100 index was making a tentative recovery between late March 2020 and early June 2020. Since then the FSTE 100 index had plateaued towards the end of July, before starting a tentative upward trend in November. FTSE 100 The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index, otherwise known as the FTSE 100 Index is a share index of the 100 largest companies trading on the London Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalization. At the end of March 2024, the largest company trading on the LSE was Shell. The largest ever initial public offering (IPO) on the LSE was Glencore International plc. European stock exchanges While nearly every country in Europe has a stock exchange, only five are considered major, and have a market capital of over one trillion U.S dollars. European stock exchanges make up two of the top ten major stock markets in the world. Europe’s biggest stock exchange is the Euronext which combines seven markets based in Belgium, France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal.

The UK Mutual Funds Market is Segmented by Fund Type (Equity, Debt, Multi-Asset, Money Market, and Other Fund Types), by Investor Type (Households, Monetary Financial Institutions, General Government, Non-Financial Corporations, Insurers & Pension Funds, and Other Financial Intermediaries). The Report Offers Market Size and Forecasts for the UK Mutual Funds Market in Value (USD) for all the Above Segments.

Key information about United Kingdom Market Capitalization

• United Kingdom Market Capitalization accounted for 3,182.091 USD bn in Feb 2025, compared with a percentage of 3,120.628 USD bn in the previous month
• UK Market Capitalization is updated monthly, available from Apr 1999 to Feb 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 4,211.587 USD bn in Oct 2007 and a record low of 1,402.869 USD bn in Sep 2002

CEIC converts monthly Market Capitalization into USD. London Stock Exchange provides Market Capitalization in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Market capitalization includes only domestically listed companies. As of 2017, definitions from the revised Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) have been introduced.

The United Kingdom financial services market reached approximately USD 175.34 Billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.90% between 2025 and 2034, reaching a value of around USD 311.06 Billion by 2034.

Contains data from the World Bank's data portal. There is also a consolidated country dataset on HDX.

An economy's financial markets are critical to its overall development. Banking systems and stock markets enhance growth, the main factor in poverty reduction. Strong financial systems provide reliable and accessible information that lowers transaction costs, which in turn bolsters resource allocation and economic growth. Indicators here include the size and liquidity of stock markets; the accessibility, stability, and efficiency of financial systems; and international migration and workers\ remittances, which affect growth and social welfare in both sending and receiving countries.

United Kingdom UK: S&P Global Equity Indices: Annual % Change data was reported at 7.629 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.426 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: S&P Global Equity Indices: Annual % Change data is updated yearly, averaging 6.760 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.247 % in 2009 and a record low of -49.518 % in 2008. United Kingdom UK: S&P Global Equity Indices: Annual % Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. S&P Global Equity Indices measure the U.S. dollar price change in the stock markets covered by the S&P/IFCI and S&P/Frontier BMI country indices.; ; Standard & Poor's, Global Stock Markets Factbook and supplemental S&P data.; ;

Using all stocks listed in the London Stock Exchange for the period from January 1989 to December 2018, the dataset comprises the following series:

1. Annual returns for 20 asset growth portfolios, following Fama and French (1993) methodology.
2. Annual returns for 25 portfolios size-book to market equity, following Fama and French (1993) methodology.
3. Annual returns for 62 industry portfolios, using two-digit SIC codes.
4. Fama and French (1993) factors for their three-factor model (RM, SMB and HML).
5. Fama and French (2015) factors for their five-factor model (RM, SMB, HML, RMW, and CMA).
6. Variation of the Amihid illiquidy measure for the London Stock Exchange, following Amihud (2002) methodology.
7. Three-month interest rate of the Treasury Bill for the United Kingdom, as provided by the OECD database.

We have produced these series using the following data from Thomson Reuters Datastream: (i) total return index (RI series), (ii) market value (MV series), (iii) market-to-book equity (PTBV series), (iv) total assets (WC02999 series), (v) return on equity (WC08301 series), (vi) tax rate (WC08346 series), (vii) primary SIC codes, (viii) turnover by volume (VO series), and (ix) the market price (P series). Following Griffin et al. (2010), we use the generic rules provided by the authors for excluding non-common equity securities from Datastream data.

REFERENCES: Amihud, Y. (2002). Illiquidity and stock returns: Cross-section and time-series effects. Journal of Financial Markets, 5, 31–56. Fama, E. F. and French, K. R. (1993). Common risk factors in the returns on stocks and bonds. Journal of Financial Economics, 33, 3–56. Fama, E. F. and French, K. R. (2015). A five-factor asset pricing model. Journal of Financial Economics, 116, 1–22. Griffin, J. M., Kelly, P., and Nardari, F. (2010). Do market efficiency measures yield correct inferences? A comparison of developed and emerging markets. Review of Financial Studies, 23, 3225–3277.

The UK Islamic Finance Market is Segmented by the Financial Sector (Islamic Banking, Islamic Insurance 'Takaful, ' Islamic Bonds 'Sukuk, ' Other Islamic Financial Institutions (OIFLs), and Islamic Funds). The Report Offers the Value (USD) for the Above Segments.

Graph and download economic data for Financial Market: Real Effective Exchange Rates: CPI Based for United Kingdom (CCRETT01GBM661N) from Jan 1972 to Feb 2025 about United Kingdom, exchange rate, currency, CPI, manufacturing, real, rate, price index, indexes, and price.