The Ftse 100 Index Ended At Its Highest Level Since..

[Rinrada]

Pound and FTSE hit 10-month highs

Lets hope it keeps going.....

$1.6965 against the dollar

The pound and the FTSE 100 index of top UK-listed shares have hit their highest levels since October on growing hopes for an economic recovery.

Markets took heart after brighter UK economic data and a rally in financial stocks following profits from banking giants HSBC and Barclays.

Sterling rose as high as $1.6965 against the dollar and hit a one-month high against the euro of 84.63p.

The FTSE 100 index ended at its highest level since early October at 4,682.46.

The index rose 1.6%, or 74 points, and earlier hit intra-day trading high of 4,710.23.

Shares in Barclays climbed 6.7% after reporting an 8% rise in half-year profits, while HSBC rose 5% after it made better-than-expected profits of $5bn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8181161.stm