London Reclaims Title as Europe's Largest Stock Market

For the first time in almost two years, the UK’s main stock market has regained its position as Europe’s most valuable, according to recent data.

On Monday, the total market capitalisation of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) reached $3.18 trillion, surpassing the $3.13 trillion valuation of companies on the Paris stock market, as reported by Bloomberg.

Although both markets' valuations are fluctuating and remain close, analysts view this as a significant milestone. They attribute the decline in the French market to uncertainties surrounding its recent election, while noting that the UK market is rebounding after several years of poor performance.

The LSE had long held the top spot in Europe until November 2022, when it was overtaken. Analysts then pointed to the adverse effects of former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ mini-budget, a weak pound, recession fears, and Brexit as reasons for its underperformance.

Back in 2016, the LSE's market value was approximately $1.4 trillion higher than that of its Parisian counterpart.