Markets: FTSE 100’s best week in three years

• FTSE 100 up 1.2% to 6,545
• Gold down 0.2% to $1,196.35/oz
• £/$ - 1.5626

FTSE 100

Energy and mining stocks were among the best performers Tullow Oil topped the index with a 7% rise, while Randgold added 4.5% and Antofagasta gained 3.4%.

In European markets, the Paris CAC 40 fell eight points to 4,241, and the German Xetra Dax lost 25 points to 9,786.

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In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2% to 17,804, the S&P 500 gained 0.5% to 2,070, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.4% higher at 4,765.

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 added 0.1% to 17,635, and the broader Topix gained 0.2% to 1,413. And in China, the Shanghai Composite added 0.6% to 3,127, and the CSI 300 was 0.3% higher at 3,394.

Brent spot was trading at $62.55 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $58.18. Spot gold was trading at $1,197 an ounce, silver was at $16.09 and platinum was at $1,197.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.5641 and against the euro at 1.2751. The dollar was trading at 0.8152 against the euro and 119.79against the Japanese yen.

And in the UK, consumer confidence is at its highest for four years, according to a survey by Lloyds Bank. November's Lloyds Bank Spending Index rose to 154, its highest since the index began in 2011. 23% of people think they will have more cash to spend in 2015; 56% fell they will have about the same; and 17% think they will have less.

David Stevenson, former MoneyWeek writer and director of The Fleet Street Letter, believessilver could be about to start a record climb. Click here(capital at risk)to read about the three irresistible forces David believes could push the price of silver through the roof.