FTSE 100 breaks ‘historic’ 10,000 points mark for the first time in ‘best present chancellor could want’

The UK’s flagship stock index has broken the symbolic 10,000 points mark for the first time.

The new high was reached within a half hour of the first day of trading in the new year.

The Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 comprises the hundred most valuable companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Notable constituents include lenders such as Barclays, Natwest, HSBC and Lloyds and supermarket chains Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s. The index is also largely made up of mining and international oil and gas companies.

“This is a historic moment and already makes 2026 one of the most significant years for the blue-chip index since its launch in 1984,” said Dan Coatsworth, the head of markets at investment platform AJ Bell.

Boosting the top flight on Friday morning were share price rises from aerospace company Rolls-Royce Holdings and mining company Fresnillo, the company which saw the single largest rise last year.

A run of records

It comes off a record-breaking year for the FTSE 100, in which it closed at an all-time high 41 times, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).

In 2025, it had its best year since 2009, outperforming rivals including the S&P 500, the US index containing the most valuable companies in the world.

Before smashing the 10,000 mark, the previous symbolic level of 9,000 was passed in July.

Expectations of cheaper borrowing from interest rate cuts and a weaker pound at times helped FTSE 100 company competitiveness as it made buying sterling-priced shares better value.

Why the new year rise?

Policy announcements by Rachel Reeves have been credited with part of the new year rise.

“Breaking through the 10,000 level is the best New Year’s present Chancellor Rachel Reeves could want,” Mr Coatsworth said.

“She has been banging the drum about the merits of investing over parking cash in the bank, and the FTSE 100’s achievements just go to show what’s possible when buying UK shares.”

The change to cash ISAs announced in the budget, whereby savers can only put up to £12,000 tax-free a year, is intended to get people to put their money in the stock market.

New measures mean banks and building societies will also be empowered to give customers financial advice.

After the initial 10,000 threshold was reached, the FTSE 100 fell back slightly to 9,982 later in the morning.