The FTSE 100 constituents are the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) by market capitalization.¹ Because the index is market-cap weighted, larger companies like AstraZeneca and HSBC have a much greater impact on the index’s value than smaller ones.²+1

As of early 2026, the index has reached historic highs, recently breaking the 10,000-point milestone.³

Major Sector Composition

The FTSE 100 is often described as an “old economy” index because it is heavily weighted toward banking, commodities, and consumer staples rather than high-growth technology.⁴

ICB Supersector	Approx. Weight (Dec 2025)	Key Examples
Banks	~17%	HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest
Health Care	~14%	AstraZeneca, GSK, Haleon
Industrial Goods	~12%	BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, RELX
Energy	~9%	Shell, BP
Consumer Staples	~8%	Unilever, British American Tobacco

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Top 10 Constituents by Market Cap (Jan 2026)

The “Big Four”—AstraZeneca, HSBC, Shell, and Unilever—together account for nearly 28% of the entire index’s value.⁵

1. AstraZeneca (AZN): The largest constituent, valued at over £210 billion.⁶
2. HSBC Holdings (HSBA): The dominant force in the banking sector.
3. Shell (SHEL):⁷ A major global energy and petrochemical company.
4. Unilever (ULVR):⁸ A consumer goods giant (Dove, Hellmann’s, Ben & Jerry’s).
5. Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.): Has seen massive growth in 2025–2026 due to aerospace recovery.
6. British American Tobacco (BATS): A high-yield staple in the tobacco sector.
7. Rio Tinto (RIO): One of the world’s largest metal and mining corporations.
8. GSK (GSK): A global biopharma leader.
9. Barclays (BARC): A major UK-based multinational universal bank.
10. BP (BP.): The second-largest energy constituent.

Notable Recent Performers

In the start of 2026, several companies have driven the index to record levels:⁹

• Aerospace & Defence: BAE Systems and Babcock International have surged due to increased global defence spending.¹⁰
• Mining: Fresnillo has been a standout winner, benefiting from high precious metal prices.¹¹
• Retail: Next and Marks & Spencer have shown resilience following strong festive trading periods.¹²

The list of constituents is reviewed quarterly (March, June, September, and December) by FTSE Russell to ensure the index accurately reflects the 100 largest qualifying companies.