Markets: gold miners boost the FTSE 100
The FTSE 100 ended the week with a small gain on Friday, climbing 0.1% to close at 6,125.
- FTSE 100 up 0.1% to 6,125
- Gold up 0.88% to $1,288.99/oz
- £/$ 1.4485
Precious metals miners were the day's top performers. Randgold Resources led the index up with a 6.6% gain, while Fresnillo added 6.2%.
In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 slipped 0.4% to 4,301, and the German Xetra Dax gained 0.2% to 9,869.
In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5% to 17,740, the S&P 500 added 0.3% to 2,057, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.4% higher at 4,736.
Overnight in Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.7% to 16,216, and the broader Topix index added 0.6% to 1,306. And in China, the CSI 300 fell 2.61% to 3,065 and the Shanghai Composite slid 2.8% to 2,832.
Brent spot was trading at $45.68 early today, and in New York, crude oil was at $45.24. Spot gold was trading at $1,279 an ounce, silver was at $17.32 and platinum was at $1,067.
In the forex markets this morning, sterling was trading against the US dollar at 1.4386 and against the euro at 1.2630. The dollar was trading at 0.8778 against the euro and 107.64 against the Japanese yen.
And in the UK, house prices fell by 0.8% in April, according to the latest figures from the Halifax. Year on year, however, prices are up by 9.2%, with the average price of a home now standing at £212,321.
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
MoneyWeek is written by a team of experienced and award-winning journalists, plus expert columnists. As well as daily digital news and features, MoneyWeek also publishes a weekly magazine, covering investing and personal finance. From share tips, pensions, gold to practical investment tips - we provide a round-up to help you make money and keep it.
-
Albert Einstein's first violin sells for £860,000 at auction
Albert Einstein left his first violin behind as he escaped Nazi Germany. Last week, it became the most expensive instrument not owned by a concert violinist
-
Rob Granieri: the mysterious billionaire boss of Jane Street
Profits at Jane Street have exploded, throwing billionaire Rob Granieri into the limelight. But it’s not just the firm’s success that is prompting scrutiny