FTSE 100 What If Invested - FAQ

Question 1

What is FTSE 100 (^FTSE)'s all-time high (ATH) and all-time low (ATL)?

Accepted Answer

FTSE 100 (^FTSE)'s all-time high (ATH) was $10,910.55 on Feb 27, 2026. The all-time low (ATL) was $986.90 on Jul 23, 1984.

Question 2

What if you invested $1,000 in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) for maximum profit?

Accepted Answer

In hindsight, the optimal buy-and-sell pair for FTSE 100 (^FTSE) was buying on Jul 23, 1984 at $986.90 and selling on the subsequent peak ($10,910.55 on Feb 27, 2026). That trade would have turned $1,000 into $11,055.38 — a return of +1,005.54% (11.0 times). This is the maximum theoretical return from a single round-trip trade in this asset's price history, not a recommendation.

Question 3

What are FTSE 100 (^FTSE)'s best buy and sell dates for maximum profit?

Accepted Answer

Computed in retrospect, the optimal buy date for FTSE 100 (^FTSE) was Jul 23, 1984 at $986.90, and the matching sell date was Feb 27, 2026 at $10,910.55. Held over that exact window, the position would have returned +1,005.54% (11.0 times). The "best" dates are identified after the fact and could not have been known in advance.

Question 4

What was FTSE 100 (^FTSE)'s maximum drawdown?

Accepted Answer

FTSE 100 (^FTSE)'s worst peak-to-trough decline was -52.57% (price fell to 47% of the peak). Peak: $6,930.20 on Dec 30, 1999. Trough: $3,287 on Mar 12, 2003. A $1,000 position bought at the peak would have shown a paper loss down to $474.30 at the trough — this would only have become a realized loss if the investor sold at that low. Drawdown measures mark-to-market risk, not realized return.

Question 5

What if you bought FTSE 100 (^FTSE) at inception?

Accepted Answer

A $1,000 investment in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) at inception ($997.50 on Jan 3, 1984) would be worth $10,389.24 as of Jun 19, 2026. Historical return: +938.92% (10.3 times). Latest closing level: $10,363.27.

Question 6

What if you invested $1,000 in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) 5 years ago?

Accepted Answer

A $1,000 investment in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) 5 years ago ($7,017.47 on Jun 18, 2021) would be worth $1,476.78 as of Jun 19, 2026. Historical return: +47.68% (1.47 times). Latest closing level: $10,363.27.

Question 7

What if you invested $1,000 in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) 10 years ago?

Accepted Answer

A $1,000 investment in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) 10 years ago ($6,021.09 on Jun 17, 2016) would be worth $1,721.16 as of Jun 19, 2026. Historical return: +72.12% (1.72 times). Latest closing level: $10,363.27.

Question 8

What if you invested $1,000 in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) 20 years ago?

Accepted Answer

A $1,000 investment in FTSE 100 (^FTSE) 20 years ago ($5,626.10 on Jun 19, 2006) would be worth $1,842.00 as of Jun 19, 2026. Historical return: +84.20% (1.84 times). Latest closing level: $10,363.27.

FTSE 100: What If You Had Invested?

Historical return extremes for FTSE 100 (^FTSE) from 1984 to 2026

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Scenario	Return	Start date	Start price	End date	End price	$1,000 becomes
Max profitMore info about Max profit	+1,006%	Jul 23, 1984	$986.90	Feb 27, 2026	$10,910.55	$11,055.38
Max drawdownMore info about Max drawdown	-52.57%	Dec 30, 1999	$6,930.20	Mar 12, 2003	$3,287	$474.30
Return since InceptionMore info about Return since Inception	+938.92%	Jan 3, 1984	$997.50	Jun 19, 2026	$10,363.27	$10,389.24