The Ftse ( Financial Times Stock Exchange) 100 stock market index has surged above 10,000 points for the first time on record in a major win for Britain’s economy going into 2026.
Earlier this morning, the blue-chip index hit a new all-time intraday trading high, after jumping as much as 0.8 per cent to 10,018.5, within the first hour of trading after markets opened for the first time this year.
In recent months, the Ftse 100 has inched closer to the milestone mark after an impressive performance in 2025 that hat has seen the index increase by 21.5 per cent.
This is the Footsie’s best performance since 2009, in the aftermath of the financial crisis, and comes after an extended period of financial uncertainty post-Covid and Brexit.
The Ftse 100 has hit a 10,000 landmark
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GETTY / GOOGLE
Economists note that this surge towards stocks globally is primarily due to the rally in support for artificial intelligence (AI) companies but UK stock markets are not as exposed to the tech sector.
Over 2025, the Ftse 100’s best performers miners such as Fresnillo which benefited from the rush in need for precious metal prices and defence firms amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said: “Miners have once again done a lot of the heavy lifting, with Fresnillo leading the way, and Airtel Africa also enjoyed a last-minute surge.
“Both stocks have experienced a stratospheric rise in 2025 and considering both the ongoing demand for gold and silver and an increasing need for connectivity in emerging markets, investors will be hoping for more fair weather in 2026.
The City has received a major win
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PA“The global nature of the inhabitants of London’s top-flight index has helped it avoid the doldrums which have held back the more domestically focused FTSE 250 – although even it was experiencing that end of year phenomenon often referred to as a ‘Santa rally’ today.”
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