- FTSE 100 rose nearly 22% in 2025, best year since 2009
- Miners, defence, banks among the biggest gainers
- Crossing symbolic threshold could boost sentiment towards UK
Sign up here.
“It’s nice to be going into 2026 with a good news story,” said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell.
“We’ve been talking down UK stocks for an awfully long time so to begin the year on the front foot, and for the momentum of 2025 to continue into 2026, psychologically that is going to have an impact.”
The FTSE 100 was last trading a fraction shy of the 10,000 level, up 0.4% on the day.
STOCKS AROUND THE WORLD RALLIED IN 2025
Stocks around the world surged in 2025, driven in part by a rally in companies connected with artificial intelligence, though British stock markets are little exposed to the sector.

AN ARBITRARY NUMBER THAT COULD SPUR INTEREST
British markets have suffered from a lack of initial public offerings in recent years, while companies have left the market, through being bought, delisting or moving their primary listings away from London.
Political instability, bond market volatility and post-Brexit uncertainty added to negativity, and with relatively few tech and AI-connected companies listed in London, British-focused fund managers have struggled to ward off sentiment that the greatest excitement is elsewhere.
“This (10,000) is an arbitrary number, but it is something that could get international investors more interested in the FTSE – so it is quite a big deal,” said Rory McPherson, CIO at financial planning firm Wren Sterling.
“The FTSE has a wide sectoral base and appealing valuations.”
Investors also say the UK could offer diversification from high-flying tech stocks, as concerns about an AI bubble persist.
British finance minister Rachel Reeves posted on social media platform X: “The FTSE 100 breaking through 10,000 points for the first time is a vote of confidence in Britain’s economy and a strong start to 2026.”
Reporting by Alun John and Dhara Ranasinghe; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Barbara Lewis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab














