There’s been a bit of buzz lately about the FTSE 100 potentially breaking the 10,000 mark. At the time of writing, it hasn’t quite reached that point, with its highest close so far being 9,911.42 on November 12th — but hopefully, by the time this article has been read, it will have crossed the line.
The FTSE 100 is considered the UK’s flagship stock market index, tracking the performance of the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange by market capitalization, such as HSBC, BP, Unilever, and AstraZeneca. It offers a snapshot of market trends without having to follow hundreds or thousands of individual stocks.
Launched on January 3rd, 1984 with a base level of 1,000 points, it now reflects decades of growth and change. Although it’s a UK index, over 70% of FTSE 100 companies’ revenue comes from outside the UK1, making it sensitive to global economic shifts and currency changes.
Indexes act like scorecards for economies or sectors—a rising index often signals investor confidence and growth, while a falling one can indicate uncertainty or downturns.
Indexes are also used as benchmarks to compare investment performance; for example, if the FTSE 100 gained 7% but a UK equity fund rose only 4%, that fund would have underperformed the market. Products like trackers and ETFs are designed to mirror an index’s movement, but it’s worth remembering the FTSE 100 isn’t the only UK index—others include the All Share and the FTSE 250, so if you are looking to invest in trackers it’s important to understand the difference.
I also think it is essential to understand firstly what you are invested in and how this is performing against its sector.
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1 Admiral, 21st Aug, 2023