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The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 (FTSE 100) is a stock market index comprising the 100 largest companies on the London Stock Exchange (by market capitalisation), which includes companies like BP, HSBC, Barclays and Sainsbury’s.
While you can’t actually invest directly into the FTSE 100 (unless you bought shares in each of the companies in the index), you can get exposure to the index by investing in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) which tracks the performance of the stocks in the FTSE 100.
Fees apply. Your capital is at risk.
As with the rest of the UK stock market, the FTSE 100 dropped significantly in March 2020 in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. While every stock in the index experienced volatility, some fared better than others. The potential advantage of investing in an index is to help diversify your portfolio and mitigate exposure to risk. However, certain FTSE 100 stocks are likely to perform markedly better or worse than others over the coming months, and it may be worth curating a list of FTSE 100 companies you want to invest in.
Whether you want to invest directly in FTSE 100 stocks, or invest in a FTSE 100 ETF, you’ll need to open an account with a trading platform or brokerage. Different platforms will offer different FTSE stocks and ETFs, and each has its own fee structure. You can compare the leading share-dealing platforms below.
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
You can use the chart below to track the performance of the FTSE 100:
When you buy an FTSE 100 ETF, you are not investing directly in the companies in the index. Most FTSE 100 ETFs will hold shares in the companies in the index, but you won’t yourself by just buying the ETF.
However, the ETFs performance will track closely with the performance of the stocks in the index. For example, if the FTSE 100 increases in value by 2%, your ETF should also increase close to 2%.
To invest in an ETF, you’ll generally need to pay a fee of around 0.07% to 0.25% each year, as well as any trading commissions charged by the broker.
Most FTSE 100 ETFs will fully track the performance of the FTSE 100, meaning the fund is weighted more towards the companies with higher market capitalisation. However, there are some ETFs such as the db X-Trackers FTSE 100 Equal Weight UCITS ETF (XFEW) which invests in the companies in the index equally. This means the performance of smaller companies will have a larger impact on the ETF, relative to their size.
Short ETFs. There are a number of short FTSE 100 ETFs, which effectively bet against the performance of the index. If the FTSE 100 goes down, the value of a short ETF should go up.
Leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs multiply the gains and losses of the index, meaning you’ll get a higher or lower return relative to the size of your investment. You’re effectively borrowing extra capital to potentially increase your returns. For example, if you invest £1,000 in a FTSE 100 ETF with 10x leverage and it goes up 5%, you’d make £500 instead of £50. However, the same would apply to losses.
Fund | Currency | Ticker | Fee (TER p.a.) |
---|---|---|---|
HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP | GBP | HUKX | 0.07% |
iShares Core FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (Dist) | GBP | ISF | 0.07% |
iShares Core FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP (Acc) | GBP | CUKX | 0.07% |
Invesco FTSE 100 UCITS ETF | GBP | S100 | 0.09% |
Xtrackers FTSE 100 UCITS ETF 1C | GBP | XDUK | 0.09% |
Xtrackers FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Income 1D | GBP | XUKX | 0.09% |
Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (GBP) Accumulating | GBP | VUKG | 0.09% |
Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing | GBP | VUKE | 0.09% |
Lyxor FTSE 100 UCITS ETF C-GBP | GBP | L100 | 0.14% |
Lyxor FTSE 100 UCITS ETF D-GBP | GBP | 100D | 0.14% |
UBS ETF (LU) FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (GBP) A-dis | GBP | UB03 | 0.20% |
Amundi ETF FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP | GBP | FT1K | 0.25% |
Asset Managers
Automobiles & Parts
Banks
Beverages
Chemicals
Construction & Materials
Electricity
Electronic & Electrical Equipment
Equity Investment Instruments
Financial Services
Fixed Line Telecommunications
Food & Drug Retailers
Food Producers
General Retailers
Health Care Equipment & Services
Household Goods & Home Construction
Industrial Engineering
Industrial Metals & Mining
Life Insurance
Media
Mining
Mobile Telecommunications
Nonlife Insurance
Forestry & Paper
Personal Goods
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
Precious Metals and Mining
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Retail Hospitality
Software & Computer Services
Support Services
Tobacco
Travel & Leisure
Gas, Water & Multi-utilities
Warning: The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
*Disclaimer: The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products finder has access to track details from and is not representative of all the products available in the market. Unless indicated otherwise, products are displayed in no particular order or ranking. The use of terms “best”, “top”, “cheap” including variations, are not product ratings and are subject to our terms of use. You should consider seeking independent financial advice and consider your personal financial circumstances when comparing products.
Best for
Mobile
Best for
Low-cost
Best for
All rounder
Best for
Beginners
The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 (FTSE 100) is a stock market index comprising the 100 largest companies on the London Stock Exchange (by market capitalisation), which includes companies like BP, HSBC, Barclays and Sainsbury’s.
While you can’t actually invest directly into the FTSE 100 (unless you bought shares in each of the companies in the index), you can get exposure to the index by investing in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) which tracks the performance of the stocks in the FTSE 100.
Fees apply. Your capital is at risk.
As with the rest of the UK stock market, the FTSE 100 dropped significantly in March 2020 in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. While every stock in the index experienced volatility, some fared better than others. The potential advantage of investing in an index is to help diversify your portfolio and mitigate exposure to risk. However, certain FTSE 100 stocks are likely to perform markedly better or worse than others over the coming months, and it may be worth curating a list of FTSE 100 companies you want to invest in.
Whether you want to invest directly in FTSE 100 stocks, or invest in a FTSE 100 ETF, you’ll need to open an account with a trading platform or brokerage. Different platforms will offer different FTSE stocks and ETFs, and each has its own fee structure. You can compare the leading share-dealing platforms below.
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
You can use the chart below to track the performance of the FTSE 100:
When you buy an FTSE 100 ETF, you are not investing directly in the companies in the index. Most FTSE 100 ETFs will hold shares in the companies in the index, but you won’t yourself by just buying the ETF.
However, the ETFs performance will track closely with the performance of the stocks in the index. For example, if the FTSE 100 increases in value by 2%, your ETF should also increase close to 2%.
To invest in an ETF, you’ll generally need to pay a fee of around 0.07% to 0.25% each year, as well as any trading commissions charged by the broker.
Most FTSE 100 ETFs will fully track the performance of the FTSE 100, meaning the fund is weighted more towards the companies with higher market capitalisation. However, there are some ETFs such as the db X-Trackers FTSE 100 Equal Weight UCITS ETF (XFEW) which invests in the companies in the index equally. This means the performance of smaller companies will have a larger impact on the ETF, relative to their size.
Short ETFs. There are a number of short FTSE 100 ETFs, which effectively bet against the performance of the index. If the FTSE 100 goes down, the value of a short ETF should go up.
Leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs multiply the gains and losses of the index, meaning you’ll get a higher or lower return relative to the size of your investment. You’re effectively borrowing extra capital to potentially increase your returns. For example, if you invest £1,000 in a FTSE 100 ETF with 10x leverage and it goes up 5%, you’d make £500 instead of £50. However, the same would apply to losses.
Fund | Currency | Ticker | Fee (TER p.a.) |
---|---|---|---|
HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP | GBP | HUKX | 0.07% |
iShares Core FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (Dist) | GBP | ISF | 0.07% |
iShares Core FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP (Acc) | GBP | CUKX | 0.07% |
Invesco FTSE 100 UCITS ETF | GBP | S100 | 0.09% |
Xtrackers FTSE 100 UCITS ETF 1C | GBP | XDUK | 0.09% |
Xtrackers FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Income 1D | GBP | XUKX | 0.09% |
Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (GBP) Accumulating | GBP | VUKG | 0.09% |
Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing | GBP | VUKE | 0.09% |
Lyxor FTSE 100 UCITS ETF C-GBP | GBP | L100 | 0.14% |
Lyxor FTSE 100 UCITS ETF D-GBP | GBP | 100D | 0.14% |
UBS ETF (LU) FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (GBP) A-dis | GBP | UB03 | 0.20% |
Amundi ETF FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP | GBP | FT1K | 0.25% |
Warning: The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
*Disclaimer: The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products finder has access to track details from and is not representative of all the products available in the market. Unless indicated otherwise, products are displayed in no particular order or ranking. The use of terms “best”, “top”, “cheap” including variations, are not product ratings and are subject to our terms of use. You should consider seeking independent financial advice and consider your personal financial circumstances when comparing products.
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