Ftse
In short
The FTSE is a stock market index that tracks the performance of the largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.
In plain words
It acts like a scoreboard for the UK economy. When the FTSE goes up, it means the biggest companies in the country are generally doing well. When it goes down, those companies are losing value.
A simple example
If you look at the FTSE 100 and see it has risen by 1%, it means the total value of those top 100 companies has increased.
Why it matters
Investors use it to judge how the British market is performing. It also helps people decide where to put their savings through pension funds.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse the FTSE index with the London Stock Exchange itself, which is the actual marketplace where trading happens.