Britain’s FTSE 100 briefly surpassed the 10,000-point mark on Friday, marking a strong start to the year after a stellar 2025.

The index traded at 9,981 by midday London time, with analysts cautioning that such round-number milestones are psychologically significant but require solid foundations to sustain.

The broader European Stoxx 600 also rose 0.5%, building on nearly 16% gains in 2025 driven by banking and defense stocks.

Individual stocks saw notable moves, including Orsted rising 3.6% over a U.S. lease dispute and Dutch chipmakers Be Semiconductor and ASMI surging after TSMC received a U.S. equipment license, CNBC has reported.

Mining and defense firms like Thyssenkrupp, Kongsberg, Saab, and Rolls-Royce also posted strong gains during morning trading.