Global markets were quiet on Wednesday as 2025 drew to a close, but it was a record year for the likes of the FTSE 100 in London, while US stocks enjoyed a positive end to the trading period after a tumultuous year.
Dublin
Euronext Dublin finished down 0.2 per cent on what was a muted day’s trading with little volume changing hands.
Budget airline Ryanair dropped 0.4 per cent to finish the year on €29.55. Just 11.1 million shares were traded in the company on Thursday.
Among the financial names, AIB and Bank of Ireland finished down 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively. PTSB, the smallest of the pillar banks, was up 1.8 per cent at close of business.
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There was little trading done elsewhere on the Irish market, but food giant Kerry Group climbed 0.65 per cent, while Cavan-based insulation specialist Kingspan fell 0.2 per cent.
London
The UK’s FTSE 100 index paused near record levels in the final stretch of 2025, wrapping up its strongest annual gain in 16 years in a shortened trading session.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 ended 0.2 per cent lower after closing at a record level a day earlier. The domestically focused FTSE 250 midcap index dipped 0.4 per cent.
Trading activity was muted with markets closing early ahead of the new year holiday on January 1st.
After years of underperformance, Britain’s blue-chip FTSE 100 outpaced major global markets in 2025, lifted by expectations of further Bank of England rate cuts, strength in financials and miners and its appeal as a relatively cheap diversifier during bouts of global volatility.
The index rose more than 21 per cent over the year, heading for a fifth straight annual gain and its strongest performance since 2009.
The resources-heavy FTSE 100 drew support from miners Fresnillo, Endeavour Mining and Antofagasta, which advanced on the back of surging gold, silver and copper prices this year.
In contrast, Bunzl and Diageo tumbled around 37 per cent each, leaving the business supplies distributor and the world’s largest spirits maker among the index’s biggest laggards.
Record highs stayed out of reach elsewhere. The midcap index gained 9 per cent in 2025 but remained nearly 8 per cent below its 2021 peak, while the FTSE small cap rose about 10 per cent yet closed 1.5 per cent short of its 2021 high.
Europe
European markets were little changed meanwhile, hovering near record highs after a stellar – albeit jarring – year that has even seen the region’s banking and weapons sector stocks both outperform.
The Cac 40 in Paris closed down 0.5 per cent after a shortened day of trading. The Dax 40 was closed. Financial markets in Paris and Frankfurt will be closed on Thursday for the new year holiday, before reopening on Friday.
During 2025, the Cac 40 has climbed 10 per cent while the Dax 40 is up 22 per cent.
MSCI’s broadest index of world stocks was also flat as investors digested Tuesday’s Federal Reserve December meeting minutes that underscored deep divisions among policymakers about US interest rates.
New York
Wall Street’s major indexes slipped in the final trading session of 2025, but approached a positive end to a year dominated by president Donald Trump’s tariff uncertainties and a euphoria around AI-focused stocks.
The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq were on course to log double-digit gains this year.
On the day, tech stocks extended losses, slipping 0.2 per cent. Microsoft and Broadcom fell 0.3 per cent and 1 per cent respectively.
At 10.06am eastern time, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.25 per cent; the S&P 500 was down 0.2 per cent; and the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.18 per cent.
Bellwether chipmaker Nvidia – up 40.6 per cent so far this year – has been one of the beneficiaries, becoming the first publicly traded company to hit a $5 trillion market capitalisation. – Additional reporting: Agencies
