Stock market indices in Europe - statistics & facts

As economies and markets in Europe are very diverse, national indices provide a more detailed overview of local conditions and trends. Among the national indices, the FTSE 100 (Financial Times Stock Exchange 100) is probably the most followed due to the size of the UK's stock market and the importance of the London Stock Exchange on the global financial system. The FTSE 100 tracks the performance of 100 companies listed on the LSE with the highest market capitalization, while the FTSE All-Share represents 98 percent of the UK's market capitalization.

Similarly, France's CAC 40 (Cotation Assistée en Continu) is a benchmark index of the French stock market performance and represents the 40 leading stocks among the 100 largest market capitalization on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, while the DAX (Deutsche Aktienindex) tracks the development of the 40 major German blue-chip companies trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

What are stock indices?

Stock market indices are composite measures that track the performance of a specific group of stocks within a financial market, serving as benchmarks for assessing investment performance. Being Europe home to several large and distinct stock exchanges, financial markets across the continent are rather diverse. To better represent and reflect the performance of the region's economies and markets, there are both continent-wide and national indices. Among the various pan-European indices, the Stoxx Europe 600 has the broadest diversification. It includes 600 stocks, representing large, mid, and small-capitalization companies from 17 European countries. On the other hand, the Euro Stoxx 50 - considered as the equivalent of the U.S. index S&P 500 - is probably the most followed index in the eurozone and includes 50 stocks from blue-chip companies leaders in their sectors of operation.

The growing significance of ESG indices

As increasing attention towards environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters has impacted the financial sector in recent years, sustainable investments have become more and more relevant. Europe, in particular, saw a growing flow of assets being invested into sustainable funds, which led to ESG indices gaining more significance in the financial landscape. With Europe's unwavering commitment to sustainability, indices like the STOXX Europe ESG Leaders 50 and the S&P Europe 350 ESG play a crucial role in guiding investors toward environmentally conscious and socially responsible businesses, fostering a more sustainable economic landscape.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 19, 2024

Key insights

Year-end value of the Euro Stoxx 50
3,793.62
Year-end value of the Stoxx Europe 600
424.89
Year-end value of the Euronext 100
1,231.6
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