Financial markets in the UK - statistics & facts

The United Kingdom is home to some of the oldest and most developed financial markets in the world, with London generally being considered one of the three ‘command centers’ of the global economy (along with New York City and Tokyo). While the UK is the sixth largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP, it is ranked third in terms of the share of global equity markets by country (behind the U.S. and Japan). The country also houses the world’s largest foreign exchange (forex) market, and is the biggest derivatives market for off-exchange derivatives.

The London Stock Exchange

Tracing its roots back to the late 16th century, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) was founded in 1801 and therefore operated at the time when Britain was the world’s preeminent economic and imperial power. In 2007 the LSE acquired the Milan Stock Exchange, in the process creating a new company, the London Stock Exchange Group, which is presently the eighth largest stock market operator in the world. A large part of the appeal of the LSE is its international character, with some of the largest companies trading on the LSE being multinational giants like Japanese carmaker Toyota, French oil and gas company Total, and U.S. companies IBM and Honeywell. The primary index tracking the development of the LSE is the FTSE 100, which is comprised of the 100 largest qualifying UK companies by market capitalization.

The UK derivatives market

Indeed, London has been a financial leader since the 19th century, pioneering many of the financial innovations which emerged through the industrial revolution. This focus on innovation has continued into the 20th and 21st centuries, with the U.K. generally being considered the largest world market for derivatives. The UK is the largest market in the world for ‘over the counter’ (OTC) derivatives, which are derivatives not traded on a regulated stock exchange . The EU is a major component of this market as the UK is the largest country for trade in derivatives denominated in euros. However, with the UK having left the European Union (EU) in 2021, there is doubt over whether the UK’s dominant position can be maintained owing to ambiguity about whether post-Brexit standards will permit euro-denominated derivatives to still be traded in the UK.

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.

GDP of the United Kingdom: 3.19tr USD

UK share of total world equity market value: 3.9%

Total market capitalization of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange: 3.8tr GBP

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Market capitalization of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from January 2015 to February 2023 (in billion GBP)

Stocks

Market cap of companies listed on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023

Outstanding value of corporate debt securities in the United Kingdom from 1st quarter 2018 to 2nd quarter 2022, by corporation type (in billion U.S. dollars)

Fixed Income

Outstanding debt securities among corporations in the UK 2018-2022

Composition of government debt in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2021, by security type

Fixed Income

UK government debt composition as of December 2021

Recommended statistics

Global economic overview

Basic Statistic Countries with the largest gross domestic product (GDP) 2021
Countries with the largest gross domestic product (GDP) 2021
The 20 countries with the largest gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Countries with the highest market cap in the world 2020
Countries with the highest market cap in the world 2020
Countries with the largest stock markets worldwide as of 2020, by market capitalization of listed companies (in trillion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Countries with largest stock markets globally 2022
Countries with largest stock markets globally 2022
Distribution of countries with largest stock markets worldwide as of January 2022, by share of total world equity market value
Premium Statistic Largest stock exchange operators worldwide 2022, by market cap of listed companies
Largest stock exchange operators worldwide 2022, by market cap of listed companies
Largest stock exchange operators worldwide as of October 2022, by market capitalization of listed companies (in trillion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic FDI flows in the UK 2005-2021
FDI flows in the UK 2005-2021
Value of foreign direct investment (FDI) outward and inward flows in the United Kingdom from 2005 to 2021 (in million U.S dollars)

Stock exchanges

Basic Statistic Number of companies on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023
Number of companies on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023
Number of companies trading monthly on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from January 2015 to February 2023
Premium Statistic Market cap of companies listed on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023
Market cap of companies listed on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023
Market capitalization of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from January 2015 to February 2023 (in billion GBP)
Premium Statistic Average trade amount on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023
Average trade amount on London Stock Exchange 2015-2023
Average daily number of trades on London Stock Exchange (UK order book) in the United Kingdom from January 2015 to February 2023 (in 1,000s)
Basic Statistic London Stock Exchange (UK): largest companies listed 2022
London Stock Exchange (UK): largest companies listed 2022
Largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in June 2022, by market capitalization (in billion GBP)
Premium Statistic Companies trading on the London Stock Exchange 2020, by industry
Companies trading on the London Stock Exchange 2020, by industry
Number of companies trading monthly on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in December 2020, by industry
Premium Statistic IPOs on the London Stock Exchange 2010-2021, by market
IPOs on the London Stock Exchange 2010-2021, by market
Number of IPOs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from 2010 to 2021, by market

Stock indices

Premium Statistic FTSE 100 Index UK 2019-2023
FTSE 100 Index UK 2019-2023
FTSE 100 Index UK from December 2019 to February 2023
Premium Statistic Annual performance of FTSE 100 index 1995-2022
Annual performance of FTSE 100 index 1995-2022
Development of the FTSE 100 index from 1995 to 2022
Premium Statistic Monthly development of the FTSE 250 Index 2012-2022
Monthly development of the FTSE 250 Index 2012-2022
Monthly closing of the FTSE 250 Index (capital return) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from January 2015 to July 2022 (in index value points)
Premium Statistic Monthly development of the FTSE All-Share Index 2015-2022
Monthly development of the FTSE All-Share Index 2015-2022
Monthly closing of the FTSE All-Share Index (capital return) on the London Stock Exchange from January 2015 to October 2022 (in index value points)
Premium Statistic Monthly development of the FTSE AIM All-Share Index 2015-2022
Monthly development of the FTSE AIM All-Share Index 2015-2022
Monthly closing of the FTSE AIM All-Share Index (capital return) on the London Stock Exchange from January 2015 to December 2022 (in index value points)

Fixed income (bond) market

Premium Statistic Average monthly yield from UK government bonds 2013-2021
Average monthly yield from UK government bonds 2013-2021
Monthly average yield from 5, 10, and 20 year British Government securities in the United Kingdom (UK) from January 2013 to June 2021
Premium Statistic Gross issuance of government bonds in the UK 1990-2023
Gross issuance of government bonds in the UK 1990-2023
Gross issuance of government bonds (gilts) in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in billion GBP)
Premium Statistic Annual turnover of government bonds (gilts) in the UK 2000-2019
Annual turnover of government bonds (gilts) in the UK 2000-2019
Annual turnover of government bonds (gilts) in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2019, by type (in billion GBP)
Premium Statistic UK government debt composition as of December 2021
UK government debt composition as of December 2021
Composition of government debt in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2021, by security type
Premium Statistic Outstanding debt securities among corporations in the UK 2018-2022
Outstanding debt securities among corporations in the UK 2018-2022
Outstanding value of corporate debt securities in the United Kingdom from 1st quarter 2018 to 2nd quarter 2022, by corporation type (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Corporate debt in the UK as of 2021, by rating and type
Corporate debt in the UK as of 2021, by rating and type
Value of outstanding corporate debt in the United Kingdom as of January 1, 2021, by rating grade and corporation type (in billion U.S. dollars)

Currency (forex) market

Basic Statistic USD/GBP FX rate, up until Mar 20, 2023
USD/GBP FX rate, up until Mar 20, 2023
U.S. Dollar (USD) to British pound sterling (GBP) exchange rate from Sep 2012 - Mar 20, 2023
Premium Statistic Most traded currency pairs on the forex market 2022
Most traded currency pairs on the forex market 2022
Leading forex currency pairs in April 2022, by share of daily average turnover
Premium Statistic Turnover of the British pound (GBP) in forex markets worldwide 2001-2019
Turnover of the British pound (GBP) in forex markets worldwide 2001-2019
Daily turnover of the British pound on global foreign exchange markets from 2001 to 2019 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Turnover of the British pound (GBP) in the forex market in the UK 2001-2019
Turnover of the British pound (GBP) in the forex market in the UK 2001-2019
Daily turnover of the British pound on the foreign exchange market in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2019 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Money market

Premium Statistic Average yield from UK government money market bonds by yield month 2013-2022
Average yield from UK government money market bonds by yield month 2013-2022
Monthly average of yield from 3, 6, and 12 month British Government securities in the United Kingdom from January 2013 to July 2022
Basic Statistic Monthly value of money market funds under management in the UK 2018-2022
Monthly value of money market funds under management in the UK 2018-2022
Value of money market funds under management in the United Kingdom (UK) from December 2018 to December 2022 (in billion GBP)
Basic Statistic Monthly money market fund sales in the UK 2020-2021
Monthly money market fund sales in the UK 2020-2021
Net value of retail sales of money market funds in the United Kingdom from January 2020 to December 2021 (in million GBP)
Premium Statistic Overnight LIBOR rate based on GBP 2018-2021
Overnight LIBOR rate based on GBP 2018-2021
Value of overnight London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) from February 2018 to December 2021, based on the British pound
Premium Statistic Overnight LIBOR rate based on GBP 2018-2023, by length of maturity
Overnight LIBOR rate based on GBP 2018-2023, by length of maturity
Comparison of the overnight London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) based on the British pound from January 2018 to January 2023, by maturity

Derivatives market

Premium Statistic Largest derivatives exchanges worldwide 2020-2021, by volume
Largest derivatives exchanges worldwide 2020-2021, by volume
Largest derivatives exchanges worldwide in 2020 and 2021, by number of contracts traded (in millions)
Premium Statistic OTC foreign exchange turnover for five forex instruments in the UK 2001-2019
OTC foreign exchange turnover for five forex instruments in the UK 2001-2019
Average daily turnover of foreign exchange transactions and derivatives in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2019, by instrument (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic OTC single currency interest rate derivatives in the UK 2001-2019, by instrument
OTC single currency interest rate derivatives in the UK 2001-2019, by instrument
Average daily turnover of over-the-counter FRAs, swaps, and options in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2019 (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Most traded interest rate derivatives on the London Stock Exchange 2021
Most traded interest rate derivatives on the London Stock Exchange 2021
Interest rate derivatives most traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2021, by instrument (in total contracts volume)
Premium Statistic Outstanding derivatives assets held by UK banks 2011-2020
Outstanding derivatives assets held by UK banks 2011-2020
Total derivatives assets held by banks in the United Kingdom from the first quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2020 (in trillion British pounds)
Premium Statistic Outstanding derivatives liabilities held by UK banks 2011-2020
Outstanding derivatives liabilities held by UK banks 2011-2020
Total derivatives liabilities held by banks in the United Kingdom from the first quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2020 (in trillion British pounds)

Dossier on the topic

Go to report

Top Seller

Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Financial markets in the UK" and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.