Wednesday, 14 October 2009

FTSE 100 back above 5,200 as gold hits new record high

The FTSE 100 rallied back above 5,200 as investors took heart at strong US corporate results and encouraging economic news from China and a weak dollar pushed gold to a fresh record high.

Published: 3:42PM BST 14 Oct 2009

FTSE 100
London's index of leading shares rose 1.7pc to 5241 as investors ploughed back into the market, lifted by positive results from US bank JP Morgan and chipmaker Intel.

The dollar slumped to a fresh 14-month low against other major currencies as investors' appetite for risk increased, sending gold to another record high of $1,072 an ounce.

Oil prices rose above $75 a barrel in New York for the first time in a year.

Miners surged in London after China said its slump in exports eased in September, offering a further sign that global trade is improving. Kazakhmys, up 8.4pc to £12.78, was the leading riser in the blue chip index.

Rio Tinto (up 4pc) fuelled this view after it raised full-year production targets on the back of continued strong demand from Chinese steelmakers.

Barclays , Royal of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group got a boost from a sevenfold rise in third-quarter profits to $3.6bn at JP Morgan.

The bank's bumper profits and a better-than-expected 5pc fall in Intel's third-quarter profits to $1.9bn pushed Wall Street back toward 10,000. America's blue chip index was up nearly 1pc at 9954 in early trading.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/6327173/FTSE-100-back-above-5200-as-gold-hits-new-record-high.html

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