London becomes Europe's largest stock market again

The UK’s main stock market retook its crown as Europe’s most valuable for the first time in nearly two years, data shows.

The total value of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) hit $3.18tn on Monday, overtaking the $3.13tn total value of companies listed in Paris, according to Bloomberg data.

Both valuations have shifted since and remain close, but analysts describe it as a milestone.

They say the French market has slumped because of the uncertainty around its election, while the UK market is recovering after several years of underperformance.

The LSE had been Europe’s largest stock market for many years before November 2022 when it was overtaken.

Analysts at the time blamed LSE’s performance on the fallout from former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ mini-Budget, a weak pound, recession fears and Brexit.

The LSE was worth about $1.4 trillion more than its Parisian rival in 2016.