Markets: FTSE 100 back on a high

The FTSE 100 was back on the rise yesterday, boosted by positive economic news from the UK and Europe. The index climbed 0.2% to close at 6,949.

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  • 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 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.

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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.

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