Markets: FTSE 100’s rally continues

• FTSE 100 up 01.4% to 6,581
• Gold up 0.08% to $1,159.53
• £/$ - 1.5380

FTSE 100

Associated British Foods was the day' stop performer with a 5.1% rise after it reported a rise in sales at Primark. Housebuilders bounced back from Wednesday's losses, with Taylor Wimpey up 4.9%, Barratt adding 4.4%, and Persimmon 4.2% higher.

In Europe's markets yesterday, the Paris CAC 40 rose 2.6% to 4,757, and the German Xetra Dax was 2.3% higher at 10,996.

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

In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the the S&P 500 each rose 0.2% to 17,548 and 2,051 respectively, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.3% higher at 4,922.

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.4% to 19,779, and the broader Topix index gained 0.2% to 1,583. And in China, the CSI 300 rose 5.4% to 4,106, and the Shanghai Composite added 4.5% to 3,877.

Brent spot was trading at $59.61 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $53.74. Spot gold was trading at $1,163 an ounce, silver was at $15.44 and platinum was at $1,033.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.5446 and against the euro at 1.3896. The dollar was trading at 0.8996 against the euro and 122.19 against the Japanese yen.

And today, Ryanair says it is to accept IAG's offer to buy its 30% stake in Aer Lingus in a deal worth £940m. The Irish government sold its 25% stake to IAG in May.