At the end of March, concerns weighed on financial markets, days before Donald Trump’s tariff plans are due to take effect. Investors are braced for a broad set of tariffs, set to be unveiled on April 2 – described as ‘Liberation Day’ by the President.
In the UK, the FTSE 100 index closed the month on 8,582.81, a loss of 2.58%. The mid-cap focused FTSE 250 closed the month down 4.19% on 19,475.48, while the FTSE AIM closed on 681.99, a loss of 3.10%.
Across the pond, the Dow closed March down 4.20% on 42,001.76, while the tech-orientated NASDAQ closed the month down 8.21% on 17,299.29. On the continent, the Euro Stoxx 50 closed March 3.94% lower on 5,248.39. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 ended the month on 35,617.56, a monthly loss of 4.14%.
On the foreign exchanges, the euro closed the month at €1.19 against sterling. The US dollar closed at $1.29 against sterling and at $1.08 against the euro.
Brent Crude closed March trading at around $74 a barrel, a monthly gain of just over 7.0%. Oil moved higher after Donald Trump suggested that the US could impose secondary tariffs on Russia, a major exporter. The OPEC+ producer’s crude exports hit a five-month high in March. Gold closed the month trading around $3,149 a troy ounce, a monthly gain of almost 10.00%. The gold price reached a trading high on 31 March as concerns intensified over an escalating trade war, prompting investors to flock to the safe-haven asset.
| Index | Value (31/03/25) | Movement since 28/02/25 |
| FTSE 100 | 8,582.81 | -2.58% |
| FTSE 250 | 19,475.48 | -4.19% |
| FTSE AIM | 681.99 | -3.10% |
| Euro Stoxx 50 | 5,248.39 | -3.94% |
| NASDAQ Composite | 17,299.29 | -8.21% |
| Dow Jones | 42,001.76 | -4.20% |
| Nikkei 225 | 35,617.56 | -4.14% |
How we can help
Financial advice is key, so if you have any queries about your investments and/or pensions, we are here to help. Call us now on 0808 123 4321 to arrange a no obligation meeting at our expense,
Logic Wealth Planning provides Independent Financial Advice in Manchester, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Cheshire and the surrounding area, but not limited to the region.
The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated.