Is The London Stock Market Boom Over?
While the UK has historically been one of the better performing stock exchanges around the world it seems that the last 5 years have not gone as well as other European markets. The UK market has risen by just 55% against a European average rise of 118% over the last 5 years, prompting fears that the UK may be losing its appeal.
Figures from Halifax show that while the average annual return on UK shares over the last 5 years has been 9%, the average figure for European markets has been over 17%. While on the surface the UK appears to be substantially lagging European markets, the 5 year snap shot has been very difficult for the UK. The long term trend for the UK market continues to rise although the last 5 years have been something of a consolidation period if you look at the charts.
Some analysts believe that the introduction of a host of smaller East European countries to the European Union (EU) has resulted in substantial funds being invested in these previously un-researched markets. The local markets of the likes of Bulgaria, Lithuania and Romania have performed very well of late from what has been a relatively low base.
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