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FTSE 100 ends higher but doesn t crack 7,100; US markets mixed after Nasdaq reverses course lower
Helped by the weakness of sterling, the FTSE 100 posted decent gains Manufacturers are going full-pelt but rising input prices are a concern
FTSE 100 rises 58 points
US indices mixed as Nasdaq slides
Asia-focused banks suffer
5.15pm: FTSE can t quite reach 7,100
London s leading index closed Tuesday up 58 points, 0.8%, at 7,080, while the FTSE 250 gained 191 points, 0.8%, to end at 22,875. US and UK investors have returned from their holiday in bullish form, picking up where they left off on Friday, IG Chief Market Analyst Chris Beauchamp wrote. Growth sectors such as health care and tech stocks continue to struggle compared to the cyclical areas such as mining and banking, while in the UK commodity prices have driven the gains for the FTSE 100, thanks to the strong showing in the US and Chinese manufacturing PMIs.