Markets: resource stocks continue to lift FTSE 100

• FTSE 100 up 1% to 6,129
• Gold up 2.27% to $1,138.82
• £/$ - 1.5185

FTSE 100

Precious metals miner Fresnillo was the day's highest climber, up 4.8%. Glencore added 4.4% and Randgold was 4.2% higher. Among energy stocks, BP gained 2.7% and BG Group was 2.5% higher.

In Europe's markets yesterday, the Paris CAC 40 gained 0.7% to 4,458, and the German Xetra Dax was 0.5% higher at 9,553.

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In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.3% to 16,472, the S&P 500 added 1.4% to 1,951, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.7% to 4,707.

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 1.6% to 18,005, and the broader Topix was 1.3% higher at 1,463. China's markets remained closed for a public holiday.

Brent spot was trading at $48.37 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $45.77. Spot gold was trading at $1,137 an ounce, silver was at $15.33 and platinum was at $921.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.5240 and against the euro at 1.3544. The dollar was trading at 0.8887 against the euro and 120.11 against the Japanese yen.

And in the UK, the government is to begin selling off its remaining stake in Lloyds Bank. £2bn worth of shares will be offered to the public at a 5% discount to the market price. Investors who hold their shares for more than a year will receive a bonus of one share for every ten held.