FTSE 100 up to hold over 5,000

The FTSE 100 remained over the 5,000 mark this morning, after breaking the barrier in late trading yesterday.

The index stood at 5,014.02 at 8:35 BST, rising 0.19 per cent or 9.72 points.

Leading the gains was TUI Travel – up 4.40 per cent – while sector mate Thomas Cook rose 2.57 per cent.

Smith & Nephew gained 3.09 per cent and Shire rose 1.83 per cent, while Balfour Beatty climbed 1.83 per cent.

Retail and mining, however, placed an anchor on the index.

Home Retail was down 3.58 per cent as the firm revealed pre-tax profits would match last year's but Argos sales were down 1.4 per cent.

Supermarket Morrisons was down 1.93 per cent.

Antofagasta was down 1.98 per cent and Randgold dropped 1.87 per cent.

Last night in New York, the Dow broke through the 9,500 barrier and closed up 0.53 per cent to 9,547.22.

Chicago's S&P 500 was up 0.79 per cent to 1,033.37.

On the currency markets sterling was down against the euro and the dollar to $1.6510 and €1.1332 respectively.