Markets: commodities continue to drive FTSE 100 up

• FTSE 100 up 2.6% to 6,240
• Gold down 0.19% to 1,070.50/oz
• £/$ - 1.4871

FTSE 100

Commodity stocks were once again the main drivers. Anglo American topped the index with a 9.1% rise, while Glencore added 8.5% and BHP Billiton was 6.8% higher. Royal Dutch Shell rose 4.8% and BP gained 4.5%.

In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 rose 2.3% to 4,674, and the German Xetra Dax gained 2.3% to 10,727.

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In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.1% to 17,602, the S&P 500 added 1.2% to 2,064, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.9% higher at 5,045.

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.5% to 18,789, and the broader Topix index was 0.7% lower at 1,523. And in China, the CSI 300 fell 1% to 3,829, and the Shanghai Composite lost 0.7% to 3,612.

Brent spot was trading at $37.52 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $37.78. Spot gold was trading at $1,074 an ounce, silver was at $14.32 and platinum was at $874.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.4873 and against the euro at 1.3576. The dollar was trading at 0.9128 against the euro and 120.38 against the Japanese yen.

And in the UK, Sirius Minerals says it has signed a deal to supply up to 500,000 tonnes of fertiliser a year to Chinese firm Huaken International from its potash mine set to be built in the North Yorkshire Moors national park.