markets

The FTSE 100 has gained 4.4 points to 5,736.2 this morning, building on Friday's close which was the index's highest level since June 2001.

The FTSE 100 Index rose 0.71% to 5,732 today, after crude oil advanced for the sixth time in seven sessions and the US signalled it may soon stop raising interest rates.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.41% to 5,691 today with falling metal prices and out of favour utilities wiping out earlier broker related gains.

The FTSE 100 Index rose 33.10, or 0.58%, to 5714.60 today led by clothes retailer Next, which jumped 10.31% to 1,650p, in its biggest advance since March 2001.

MOST OF THE newspapers are focused on the terrorist so any business and personal finance news to speak of is relates to business affected by the bombings.

The FTSE 100 index is now dropped 1.5% or 81.8 points lower at 5,147.8 in stock market trading today, on the back of several explosions in London as a result of terrorist attacks.

The FTSE 100 index up by about 22 points to 5,030 this morning on oil, technology and mining company gains.

UK indices are relatively unchanged after the Labour party secured an unprecedented third successive election victory.

FTSE 100 stocks are being sold in the main this morning, sending the index down about 22 points to 4,823 on fears UK consumer spending is weakening further and European chip makers are not growing as well as expected.

In London the FTSE has closed down by 2.4 points to 4,819.60 following the news that retail sales in the UK unexpectedly fell in March.