Nearly nine in 10 higher-risk pension funds have failed to match the performance of the FTSE 100 over the past five years, according to new analysis that raises fresh concerns about retirement outcomes for millions of savers. Research by Investing Insiders examined almost 13,000 personal and workplace pension funds holding more than £1tn in assets between December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2025. Funds in the medium-high and high-risk categories were benchmarked against the FTSE 100 over the same period.
The Footsie has scaled fresh heights, as demand for London-listed assets intensifies. The mega takeover of Schroders by US institutional investor Nuveen demonstrates how overseas players are sniffing out untapped value in UK companies. The acquisition will create an asset management behemoth and, thanks to the decision to locate the merged company in London, adds shine to the City's reputation as a leader in global asset and wealth management.
"London's FTSE 100 has scaled fresh heights as its defensive qualities shine once again in an uncertain world. "Investors are grappling with the fallout from a tech sell-off and are assessing deteriorating relations between the US and Iran. The Footsie hit fresh record levels in early trade, as investors sought solace in its constituents with mining, utilities and energy stocks making gains.
London's blue-chip index finished up 118.02 points, or 1.15 per cent, at 10,341.56, reversing an early European sell-off and setting a new closing peak. Traders bet that the dollar's recent rally would boost earnings prospects for UK-listed multinationals, around three-quarters of which generate revenues in dollars. The session was marked by heavy volatility across asset classes: Gold prices fell a further 1.9 per cent to $4,648.76 an ounce, their lowest closing level since mid-January and more than 13 per cent below last week's record high.
Why the relative calm? Well, markets have learned to live with Trumpian tariff adventures. They know the attention-grabbing initial threats do not always translate into action, at least not at the advertised level. With hindsight, Trump's liberation day last April, which did shake markets, created one of the best buying opportunities in years and 2025 as a whole was a bumper year for stock markets almost everywhere.
The FTSE 100 once again remains a leader in Europe, although the pullback in oil and precious metals has meant that commodity stocks are lagging behind as financials take the lead. Strong gains for the likes of HSBC, Barclays, and NatWest bring a recovery from a sector that has been hit by Trump's recent move to limit credit card interest rates to 10%.
The idea that executives, as a class, are individually contributing over 100 times more in value than the workers they rely on is simply not credible.
The FTSE 100 soared 1% to fresh all-time highs on Tuesday morning, almost touching 9,900 as global equity markets enjoy a relief rally on hopes the protracted US government shutdown would end soon, whilst a bounce in AI stocks lifted sentiment across the board. The blue chip index had rallied yesterday to hit 9,800 for the first time, as a broad risk-on tone took hold over following the Senate vote on Sunday, while there are some FTSE-specific factors at work too.
Metlen employs nearly 10,000 people in 40 countries and moved its primary listing from Athens to London in August this year. With a total value of over 5 billion, it was the fastest company to be admitted to the FTSE 100 list of the UK's most valuable listed firms. The move comes after some big UK companies quit the London Stock Exchange to sell their shares on foreign markets.
The company says its new harmonised listing structure will merely make it easier for those US funds that aren't allowed to own American depositary receipts (ADRs, a wrapper provided by a handful of banks for US investors) to get their hands on full-fat AstraZeneca stock. A global listing for global investors in a global company, as the cheerful corporate spin put it. But this definitely is not a moment to accentuate the positive.
Phillip Ingram warned on Sky News that should Iran close the Strait of Hormuz, there will be an enormous global 'economic shock.' He stated that such a closure would dwarf the economic effects witnessed during the Ukraine war.
