As of March 2024, the Dutch company Shell was the leading company listed on the London Exchange (LSE), with a market capitalization of 168 billion British pounds. This made them the largest of all all companies listed on the LSE. Seen as the heart of the global financial community, the London Stock Exchange is the second largest stock market in Europe and ranks eighth globally.
Key information
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is among the largest stock market operators globally and ranks 12th in terms of the number of companies listed, totaling 1,867. By comparison, the leading stock market operator worldwide in terms of listed companies - the Japan Exchange Group - is home to nearly 4,000 companies. Additionally, the LSE boasts a rich history, being one of the oldest stock exchanges in existence, with 222 years of operation as of 2023. As of March 2024, the Dutch company Shell held the largest market capitalization within this exchange operator, totaling around 168 million British pounds. Following closely behind was the British company AstraZeneca.
Performance after covid
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on the global economy, causing considerable volatility on the stock market. The London Stock Exchange (LSE) saw a notable decline in the market capitalization value of its listed companies, reaching its lowest value in March 2020 at approximately three trillion British pounds in correlation with a surge in the average daily number of trades, which peaked at over two billion. Following this initial reaction, the LSE observed a decrease in the average daily active traders, alongside a gradual recovery in the market capitalization of the listed companies.
