Markets: FTSE 100 back on a high

• FTSE 100 up 0.2% to 6,949
• Gold up 0.37% to $1,209.49/oz
• £/$ - 1.5407

Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered was the top performer, up 5.4%. Housebuilders were also in demand, with Persimmon, Barratt and Taylor Wimpey gaining between 4.4% and 2.1%.

In European markets, the Paris CAC 40 rose 0.6% to 4,910, and the German Xetra Dax added 1% to 11,327.

In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1% to 18,214, the S&P 500 lost 0.2% to 2,110, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.4% higher at 4,987.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 and the broader Topix index each gained 0.1% to 18,797 and 1,523 respectively. And in China, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.4% to 3,310, and the CSI 300 added 0.2% to 3,572.

Brent spot was trading at $61.29 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $49.29. Spot gold was trading at $1,206 an ounce, silver was at $16.38 and platinum was at $1,165.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.5392 and against the euro at 1.3716. The dollar was trading at 0.8910 against the euro and 119.29 against the Japanese yen.

And today, Lloyds Banking Group reported a quadrupling of its profits for 2014. The bank, which is 23.9% owned by the taxpayer, reported full year profits of £1.8bn. Shareholders will receive a dividend of 0.75p per share.

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.