Markets: FTSE 100 edges higher

• FTSE 100 up 0.3% to 6,164
• Gold down 0.57% to $1,215.59/oz
• £/$ 1.4264

FTSE 100

South Africa-based private hospital group Mediclinic International was the day's highest climber, up 3.1%. Pharmaceuticals company Shire added 2.9%, and Anglo American was 1.8% higher.

In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 rose 0.5% to 4,345, and the German Xetra Dax added 0.3% to 9,822.

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 fell 0.3% to 17,737, the S&P 500 lost 0.3% to 2,066, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.5% lower at 4,891.

Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 slid 2.4% to 15,732, and the broader Topix index fell 2.6% to 1,268. And in China, the CSI 300 rose 1.3% to 3,264, and the Shanghai Composite was 1.5% higher at 3,053.

Brent spot was trading at $37.45 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $35.38. Spot gold was trading at $1,229 an ounce, silver was at $15.07 and platinum was at $946.

In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.4216 and against the euro at 1.2515. The dollar was trading at 0.8803 against the euro and 110.47 against the Japanese yen.

And today, there was some good news for the beleaguered supermarket sector. Sales growth rose at its fastest pace in 12 months in the last quarter, up 1.1% in the 212 weeks to 27 March. The Co-operative saw the biggest growth with a 3.9% rise in sales, increasing its market share to 6.1%.