FTSE 100 Index

• The FTSE 100 is an index containing the largest 100 companies (by market capitalisation) listed on the London Stock Exchange.
• The FTSE 100 was first calculated on 3 rd January 1984.
• The base level (opening value) of the index was 1000 points.
• The FTSE 100 is overseen by the FTSE EMEA * Committee, which is responsible for the review process. The committee is made up of independent senior industry representatives who are in tune with market needs.
• Constituents of the FTSE 100 are reviewed each quarter in March, June, September and December. For 2004 these dates are: 10 March, 9 June, 8 September and 8 December. Changes to the constituents can be prompted by new listings on the exchange, corporate actions (e.g. Mergers and acquisitions) or an increase or decrease in a market capitalisation.
• In order to determine which companies will go into the FTSE 100, all eligible companies are ranked by market capitalisation.
• If a company not already in the FTSE 100 ranks 90 th or above it automatically gains entry to the index and the lowest ranking FTSE 100 company to move into the FTSE 250 index.
• If a FTSE 100 company ranks at 111 or below it will automatically be moved into the FTSE 250 and the highest ranking FTSE 250 company will move into the FTSE 100.
• FTSE Group prepares information regarding possible companies to be included or excluded from the FTSE 100 Index using the close of business figures from the Tuesday before the review. The review is then presented to the Committee for its approval.
• The FTSE EMEA Committee also approves a reserve list of six companies. If a company is deleted from the FTSE 100 between reviews as a result of a merger, takeover, or other corporate action, the highest ranking company from the reserve list will replace it in the index.
• These companies are currently on the FTSE 100 reserve list: Capita Group. Corus Group, EMI Group, LogicaCMG, Provident Financial, William Hill.
• Changes approved by the Committee are applied to the FTSE 100 at the close of business on the following Friday, seven working days later. In 2004 these dates are: 19 March, 18 June, 17 September and 17 December.
• The FTSE 100 Index is free float weighted.

More interesting facts and figures on the FTSE 100 index

• The only working day the FTSE 100 has not functioned was on Friday 16 th October 1987, the day following the hurricane storm. The index did not operate as not enough market makers could get to work to open share prices on the SEAQ trading system.
• The highest level the FTSE 100 has reached to date was on 30 th December 1999 when it reached 6930.2 points.
• The lowest level of the FTSE 100 was on 23rd July 1984 when the close value was 986.9 points.
• The biggest one-day fall was 20 th October 1987 when the FTSE 100 fell by 12.22% or 250.7 points.
• The biggest one-day rise in percentage change on day was 21 st October 1987 when the FTSE 100 rose by 7.89% or 142.2 points.
• The FTSE 100 had its 20 th anniversary on 3 rd January 2004.
• The total market capitalisation of the FTSE 100 on 3 rd January 1984 was £100,145 million (GBP)
• The total market capitalisation of the FTSE 100 at close on 5 th January 2004 (the nearest trading day to the anniversary), was £1,110,837.90 million (GBP)

The largest five companies at the launch 20 years ago were

The largest five companies on the 5 th January 2004 were

Archived FTSE-100 Companies click here