By Obinna Uballa
London, United Kingdom’s benchmark, Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100, surged past the 10,000-point mark for the first time on Friday, extending a powerful rally that defined global equity markets last year.
In early trading on the first session of 2026, the blue-chip index – home to heavyweights such as BP, Vodafone and HSBC – climbed 1.0 per cent to a record high of 10,033.75 points.
The milestone crowns a stellar run for the index, which gained more than 21 per cent in 2025, its strongest annual performance in 16 years. The rally was driven largely by easing monetary conditions, with cuts to UK interest rates reinforced by reductions in borrowing costs by the US Federal Reserve as inflation pressures cooled worldwide.
Among the standout performers was gold miner Fresnillo, whose shares posted another strong gain on Friday. The stock soared by an extraordinary 436 per cent in 2025, buoyed by a sustained surge in gold prices that saw the precious metal hit multiple record highs.
Observers say London’s advance mirrors a broader global trend, with stock markets across major economies scaling all-time peaks last year and delivering double-digit returns as investor confidence strengthened amid falling inflation and looser financial conditions.
