The market capitalisation of the 100 largest listed companies in the world increased by over USD 10 trillion (48%) between April 2020 and March 2021.
By 31 March 2021, a new record high of USD 31.7 trillion had been reached, according to PwC.
All sectors represented in the Top 100 list saw substantial increases, ranging from 25% to 75%, in market capitalisation during the year to March 2021.
Technology continues to be the largest sector in terms of market capitalisation (USD 10.5 trillion). Global Top 100 Technology companies saw a 71% increase from their March 2020 value.
Industrials and Basic Materials also outperformed other sectors, with increases of 75% and 68%, respectively.
The worst-performing sectors in the Global Top 100 were Health Care, with 25%, and Energy and Utilities, at 26%.
United States continues to dominate the Global Top 100. Its 59 companies on the list recorded the highest regional increase in market capitalisation of 57%, compared with China’s 42% and Europe’s 18%.
Five European companies dropped out of the Global Top 100 in the year to March 2021, including three in the UK and two in France. That was partially offset by two new entrants to the list from Germany – Siemens and Volkswagen.
The 73 companies on the list from the US and China account for 77% of the total market capitalisation of all Global Top 100 companies.
Apple is the world’s largest company by market capitalisation
Apple regained its crown as the world’s largest company by market capitalisation with a March 2021 valuation of 6% and 13% ahead of Saudi Aramco (2nd) and Microsoft (3rd), respectively.
Apple’s market capitalisation reached an all-time high of USD 2.4 trillion in January 2021.
Although Amazon’s market capitalisation increased by 61% in the year to March 2021, the company remained in fourth place.
The top 10 is completed by Alphabet (Google), Facebook, Tencent, Tesla, Alibaba and Berkshire Hathaway.
China Mobile was the only company in the Global Top 100 that saw a decrease in market capitalisation.
Tesla recorded the highest increase, of 565%. Food delivery platform Meituan saw the second largest increase in market capitalisation in relative terms (221%).
Volkswagen returned to the Global Top 100 with a USD 165 billion market capitalisation as at March 2021, with a 165% increase in the year to March 2021, driven by strong investor support and consumer demand for its transition to electric vehicles.
Given the ongoing regulatory challenges and suppressed demand across the aviation industry due to the pandemic, Boeing made a surprise return to the list with a 77% increase in market capitalisation.
