FTSE 100 Historical Returns Calculator

The FTSE 100 is an index that tracks the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange by market capitalisation. It launched on 3 January 1984 with a base level of 1,000 and is one of the UK's main benchmarks for stock market performance.

It estimates how a lump sum, plus any monthly top-ups you add, could compound over a chosen number of years at a long-run average annual return you can edit. It is a compound-growth model, not an exact replay of historical FTSE 100 prices for specific past years.

Price return only reflects the change in the index's share price. Total return also includes dividends paid by the underlying companies, assumed to be reinvested. Total return has usually been meaningfully higher than price return alone over long periods.

It is based on IG UK's analysis showing FTSE 100 total shareholder returns of around 244% over the 20 years to 2026, equivalent to roughly 6.4% a year on an annualised basis. You can overwrite this with your own assumption at any time.

No. It is a historical long-run average used as a starting assumption only. Actual annual FTSE 100 returns have varied widely, including sharply negative years. Future returns are not guaranteed and could be lower, higher, or negative.

Producing a reliable year-by-year FTSE 100 price history requires a live, verified market data feed. This tool uses a transparent average-return model instead, and links to live data sources for anyone who wants exact historical prices.

Yes. The Expected Annual Return field is pre-filled from the return basis you choose, but you can type over it with any assumption you want to test, including a lower, higher, or negative rate.

Each monthly top-up is treated as an equal payment invested at the end of every month and compounded at the same annual rate as the lump sum, using the standard future-value-of-an-annuity formula.

No. Fund ongoing charges, platform fees and trading costs are not deducted. These can reduce your real-world return by roughly 0.1% to 1%+ a year, so treat the estimate as a before-charges figure.

No. Figures are shown before tax. Investments held inside a Stocks and Shares ISA or a pension are generally free of UK Capital Gains Tax and dividend tax; a general investment account may be subject to tax.

Yes. Enter a lower or even negative expected annual return to see how a weaker or falling market would affect your estimated final value.

Over multi-decade periods the FTSE 100's total return has typically averaged in the mid-single digits annually, but any single year could be sharply positive or negative. The scenario rows show that range rather than one precise number.

Both are shown here so you can compare. Lump-sum investing has historically outperformed monthly investing on average, but monthly investing can reduce the risk of investing everything right before a downturn.

Effectively yes. A FTSE 100 index or tracker fund holds, or replicates the performance of, all 100 constituent companies in roughly their index-weighted proportions.

Yes. Like any stock market index, the FTSE 100 can fall as well as rise, sometimes sharply and over multi-year periods.

No. This calculator provides an illustrative estimate only based on assumptions you control. It is not financial, investment, or tax advice. Speak to a regulated financial adviser or use MoneyHelper's free guidance before making investment decisions.