FTSE 100 breaks 10,000: The UK stalwarts powering the rally

FTSE 100 breaks 10,000: The UK stalwarts powering the rally

• British high street staples are rewarding investors with market-beating performance, including the likes of Next, Tesco, Vodafone and BT
• eToro’s basket of UK stalwarts was up 29% at year close, eclipsing the returns of the S&P 500 (16%), Stoxx 600 (18%) and wider FTSE 100 index (22%).
• These trusted British brands have even outperformed the S&P 500 by 16% YTD.

With so much focus on the strength of the US capital markets and their global brands, it’s easy to overlook the UK’s own stalwarts. Yet new analysis by trading and investing platform eToro shows that these everyday British names are enjoying a standout year.

An equal-weighted basket of several UK brands compiled by eToro delivered strong returns of 29% as of 31 December 2025. While the FTSE 100 has posted a strong total return of 22% in 2025, driven in part by high-flyers like Rolls-Royce, Babcock, and BAE Systems, everyday British brands and high street staples are proving to be hidden treasures with the likes of Currys, BT and Next quietly delivering better returns than many global names.

“The FTSE 100 breaking through the 10,000 mark is a powerful reminder that the UK market has been more resilient than many give it credit for. It shows that British equities are far from stagnant, with a number of domestically listed companies delivering strong results after years of scepticism,” said Dan Moczulski, UK MD at eToro. “Investors tend to get excited about the next big thing: whether it’s AI, robotics, or digital assets. But a lot of the brands we come across, or even use ourselves on a daily basis, and perhaps think nothing of, are smashing expectations and deserve a closer look.”

According to the latest eToro Retail Investor Beat survey, just 16% of respondents globally hold exposure to the UK stock market, compared with 44% who are invested in the US. The US market performance has been dominated by a handful of domestic names, while many long familiar UK companies, often overlooked in favour of American growth stories, are delivering some of the strongest returns of 2025, signalling a turning point that merits a closer look from investors.

Source: eToro, Bloomberg. Price returns in local currency terms, as of 31 December 2025 close. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

“US markets have dominated people’s attention for so long that many investors, particularly the younger ones, haven’t even considered British stocks”, continued Moczulski. “But there are plenty of high-quality businesses right under our noses. UK stocks offer a compelling mix of quality and value, alongside diversification benefits through lower exposure to the dollar, something investors should be paying much closer attention to in today’s uncertain global environment.”

About this data:

eToro’s FTSE basket is an equal-weighted index comprising the eight stocks listed above. Share-price performance rounded up/down.