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FTSE 100 surges to a fresh record high | |
(21 days later) | |
(Close): The FTSE 100 has set an all-time high for the second consecutive trading day in a row, boosted by a strong rise in mining shares. | |
The index closed up 15.16 points, or 0.22%, at 7,037.67 to mark a fresh record close following Friday's high. | |
The FTSE has been boosted by official comments suggesting UK and US interest rate rises will be later than expected. | |
Stronger metal prices helped to lift mining stocks, with BHP Billiton jumping 3.4% and Glencore adding 2.6%. | |
Standard Chartered was the top performer in the FTSE 100, adding 7% thanks to a positive broker note. | |
The sharp jump came after JP Morgan upgraded its rating on the bank's shares to "overweight" from "neutral". | |
A JP Morgan note was also behind the FTSE 100's biggest faller Burberry. The designer's shares sank 2.6% after the broker cut its overall rating on the luxury good sector to "neutral" from "overweight". | |
Engineering firm Meggitt was another company to fall foul of a broker downgrade. Its shares dropped 1.8% after Bernstein lowered its rating to "market perform" from "outperform". | Engineering firm Meggitt was another company to fall foul of a broker downgrade. Its shares dropped 1.8% after Bernstein lowered its rating to "market perform" from "outperform". |
And shares in car spares and bike retailer Halfords fell 0.3% after it appointed a top executive from McDonald's, Jill McDonald, as its new chief executive. Ms McDonald will replace Matt Davies, who is leaving Halfords to head Tesco's UK business. | |
Worries over the general election outcome and the prospects for UK rate moves also hit the value of the pound. | |
Sterling dropped 1% against the euro to €1.3683, while against the dollar the pound fell 0.2% to $1.4930. |