United Kingdom's main stock market index, the GB100, rose to 9423 points on October 21, 2025, gaining 0.21% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 2.13% and is up 13.45% compared to the same time last year, 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 October of 2025.

Between the first quarter of 2007 and the fourth quarter of 2024, the lowest market capitalization of all companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) was recorded in the first quarter of 2009, at *** trillion British pounds. As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the market capitalization of the entire LSE amounted to *** trillion British pounds. Although the value of companies trading has fluctuated and increased overall, a downward trend can be seen in the number of companies listed on the LSE.

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

Largest UK companies by market cap

The largest UK companies by market cap are those listed on the UK stock exchange with the highest total value of all shares, representing their perceived worth by investors. These companies, such as BP, Shell, Unilever, HSBC Holdings, and GlaxoSmithKline, are considered some of the most valuable and powerful in the country, with a significant impact on the global economy. AstraZeneca, Rio Tinto, and Reckitt Benckiser are also notable high-market cap companies in the UK, reflecting their strong foothold in their respective markets.

The total market capitalization of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) took a large hit during the early months of 2020, due mostly part to a mass sell-off of shares caused by the fears surrounding the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Between December 2019 and March 2020, the total value of market capitalization decreased by more than *** billion British pounds (GBP). The overall number of companies currently trading has also been falling. The number of daily trades spiked in March 2020 and then decreased as well. As of February 2025, the total market value of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange stood at over **** trillion British pounds. European stock exchanges While almost every country has a stock Exchange, in Europe only five exchanges are considered major, with total market capital amounting to over *** trillion euros. The London Stock Exchange is the second largest in Europe and tenth largest worldwide. As of January 2025, Europe’s largest stock exchange, Euronext had a total market capital of listed companies valued at approximately **** trillion U.S. dollars.

As of January 29, 2025, the FTSE index stood at ******** points - well above its average value of around ***** 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 ******** 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.

Stock market return (%, year-on-year) in United Kingdom was reported at 14.38 % in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Stock market return (%, year-on-year) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Stock Market Capitalization to GDP for United Kingdom (DDDM01GBA156NWDB) from 1975 to 2014 about market cap, stock market, United Kingdom, capital, and GDP.

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.

Key information about United Kingdom FTSE 100

• United Kingdom FTSE 100 closed at 8,809.7 points in Feb 2025, compared with 8,674.0 points at the previous month end
• UK Equity Market Index: Month End: FTSE 100 data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1984 to Feb 2025, with an average number of 5,430.8 points
• The data reached an all-time high of 8,809.7 points in Feb 2025 and a record low of 1,010.1 points in Jul 1984

FTSE Russell provides FTSE 100 Index, which is the key benchmark in the UK.


Further information about United Kingdom FTSE 100

• In the latest reports, FTSE All-Share recorded a daily P/E ratio of 14.4 in Jul 2022

Between 2007 and 2024, the number of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) decreased significantly. As of the fourth quarter of 2024, ***** companies were listed on the LSE, a decrease of ** companies compared to the previous quarter.

The United Kingdom: Stock market turnover ratio: The latest value from 2022 is 36.32 percent, an increase from 22.48 percent in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 33.38 percent, based on data from 74 countries. Historically, the average for the United Kingdom from 1975 to 2022 is 52.65 percent. The minimum value, 15.17 percent, was reached in 1978 while the maximum of 146.43 percent was recorded in 2008.

As of February 2025, the number of companies trading on the London Stock Exchange stood at 1,660 - a slight decrease from the previous month, and the lowest number of companies listed during the period under observation. These companies had a combined market capitalization of approximately 4.65 trillion British pounds and daily average trades of approximately 700,000 in February 2024.

Prices for United Kingdom Stock Market Index (GB100) including live quotes, historical charts and news. United Kingdom Stock Market Index (GB100) was last updated by Trading Economics this October 21 of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Financial Market: Share Prices for United Kingdom (SPASTT01GBQ661N) from Q1 1958 to Q3 2025 about stock market and United Kingdom.

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.

Stock price volatility in United Kingdom was reported at 22.02 in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Stock price volatility - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Volatility of Stock Price Index for United Kingdom (DDSM01GBA066NWDB) from 1985 to 2021 about volatility, stocks, United Kingdom, price index, indexes, and price.

As retail investing continues to reshape global markets, understanding who participates, how they invest, and what influences their decisions has never been more crucial. Stock ownership in the U.S. is reaching levels not seen since before the 2008 crisis, with younger generations, mobile platforms, and new asset classes like ETFs...

Stock and commodity exchanges can benefit from various sources of revenue, ranging from fees charged through the purchasing and selling of stocks and commodities to the listing of companies on exchanges with IPOs. Yet, this hasn't meant exchanges have been free of challenges, with many companies looking to more attractive overseas markets in countries like the US that embrace stronger growth. The most notable culprits have been ARM and CRH, refusing to put up with the increasingly cheaper valuations offered by UK stock exchanges.Stock and commodity exchange revenue is expected to boom at a compound annual rate of 13% over the five years through 2025-26 to £18 billion, including growth of 5.2% in 2025-26. Boosted by the London Stock Exchange Group's Refinitiv purchase in 2021-22, the growth numbers seem inflated. The industry saw ample consolidations, aided by MiFID II's initiation in 2018. However, M&As have slumped over recent years as a result of high borrowing costs and a foggy economic outlook. Interest rate cuts and growing confidence are set to facilitate a modest recovery over the two years through 2025, driving revenue growth and supporting profit of 25.7% in 2025-26. Exchanges have also capitalised on volatile markets, with nervous investors triggering sharp sell-offs amid a tense geopolitical backdrop with Trump’s tariff policies. Consolidation amongst the largest players has been frequent, ratcheting up market share concentration. This will also prompt smaller exchanges to target niche markets and potentially band together in networks or alliances to pool liquidity and strengthen bargaining power. Revenue is forecast to climb at a compound annual rate of 4.7% over the five years through 2030-31 to £22.7 billion. Over the short term, sticky inflation and how aggressively the Bank of England cuts rates will incite volatility and fuel trading on exchanges, driving revenue growth. Geopolitical tensions also show no signs of cooling, with the potential for matters to even escalate, keeping markets edgy and increasing the likelihood of large market swings. The use of blockchain will become more prevalent, with major player, the London Stock Exchange Group, already introducing a blockchain-based infrastructure platform for private markets. These exchanges allow for 24/7 trading, lower settlement times, and often lower fees, which can attract retail and institutional participants, driving fee income.