The Ftse ( Financial Times Stock Exchange) 100 stock market index has closed above 10,000 points for the first time on record in a major win for Britain’s economy going into 2026.
This comes just days after the market surged above the 10,000 mark for the first time, as it rallied even further to today’s close.
The day’s peak came at around 16:25, where the Footsie hit 10,009.35, before dropping to a close of 10,004.57, a 0.54 per cent gain for the day.
The previous close was 9,951.14.
Ftse 100 has closed above 10,000 points for the first time in history
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GETTY/Google Finance
The Ftse 100 has edged towards the milestone in recent months, buoyed by a strong 2025 in which the index has climbed 21.5 per cent.
It marks the Footsie’s continued strong performance in 2026, following years of post‑Covid and post‑Brexit economic uncertainty.
A strong trading session for mining and defence stocks helped lift the index higher as investors reacted steadily to political turbulence in Venezuela.
A new year rally for the FTSE 100 led to it passing the milestone level during intraday trading on Friday, but it failed to close above it.
It also closed at new record highs on more than 40 occasions during the year’s trading.
The index was strengthened by the soaring share prices of some of its constituents, including precious metal miners, defence and financial services firms.
The news will come as a relief to the Chancellor
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PAEconomists say the global shift into equities has been driven largely by the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, though the UK market remains far less exposed to the tech sector.
Across 2025, the FTSE 100’s standout performers have been miners such as Fresnillo, boosted by defence companies amid the Russia‑Ukraine war.
Rolls‑Royce led the index with a three per cent gain, closely followed by Babcock International and BAE Systems, which each rose just under three per cent.
BP added two per cent as the oil major continued its upward run after naming Meg O’Neill as its next chief executive, succeeding Murray Auchincloss, who resigned last month after less than two years in the job.
London’s Ftse has had a good start to 2026
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GETTYDanni 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 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.”