When did the FTSE 100 Index begin trading?
The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index began its life on the 3rd of January 1984. It replaced the older FT 30 index which had been in use since 1935.
Questions about FTSE 100 Index
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused the Black Monday crash for the FTSE 100 Index?
Black Monday was a crash where the index fell 21.73% over two days and concluded on the same day as British Petroleum joined the ranks. One of those single days remains the worst return in the index's history at minus 12.22%.
How does the FTSE 100 Index calculate company weights?
The free-float capitalisation formula weights larger companies more heavily if they have more stock floating freely. Restricted stocks held by insiders do not count toward this calculation and the free float factor rounds up to the nearest multiple of five percent.
Which four companies exceeded £100 billion market cap together?
Four companies exceeded £100 billion in market cap on a specific date: AstraZeneca, HSBC, Shell, and Unilever. Together these giants accounted for approximately 28% of the entire market capitalisation.
When did the FTSE 100 Index reach its record closing high?
Record values show a closing high of 10,238.94 reached on the 15th of January 2026. Intraday peaks hit 10,257.75 on the following day.