FTSE100 facts & figures

With all the stockmarket up and downs in the news, I thought I'd take a lighter look at the FTSE index most likely to be quoted on the news, the FTSE100:

Most Expensive
As at the time of this survey (March 2011), Rio Tinto was also the most expensive share in the FTSE 100 at 4088, closely followed by the company in 11th place in the size table (see below), Anglo American at 3218


A Numbers Game
Only two companies made it in with a number in their name – 3i group and G4S


Last Man Standing
In last place – the 100 in the FTSE 100 if you will, is Alliance Trust

No Happy Returns
Eight of the 100 currently pay no dividend with a further 12 paying less than 1%

Initial Thoughts
‘S’ is the most popular initial letter. 12 companies in the FTSE 100 start with this

There are 3 letters all with 11 companies. ‘A’, ‘I’ and ‘R’ although counting Royal Dutch Shell as two ‘R’s rather than one ‘S’ still feels like cheating.

Alphabetically bringing up the rear, yet in a respectable 14th place by size is Xstrata



And here, pop pickers (or should that be stock pickers?) are the Top 10 shares in UK FTSE100 as at March 2011


Company name, Sector, %age of FTSE 100, dividend yield



1 HSBC, finance (banking), 7.61, 5.49%

2 Vodafone, telecoms, 6.07, 4.72%

3 BP, oil/gas, 5.93, 0.89%

4 Shell A (properly known as Royal Dutch Shell), oil/gas, 4.98, 4.17%

5 Rio Tinto, basic (mining), 4.05, 1.64%

6 GlaxoSmithKline, health (pharmaceuticals), 4.03, 5.49%

7 Shell B, oil/gas, 3.76, 4.94%

8 BHP Billiton, basic, 3.41, 2.38%

9 BG Group, oil/gas, 3.17, 0.9%

10 BAT (British American Tobacco), goods, 3.16, 4.69%

 
More FTSE facts and figures if this post proves popular. FTSE - What's in a name? tomorrow