markets

The FTSE 100 index has ended the day down 18.4 points or 0.28% to 6,497.8, as the core measure of inflation increased to 3.1%, causing the Governor of the Bank of England to explain the rise in a letter to Gordon Brown.

The FTSE 100 has passed the 6,500 mark, ending the day up 53.8 points, or 0.83%, to 6,516.2, and pushing the index to a new six-and-a-half year high.

Hargreaves Lansdown will be valued between £650m and £700m, IFAonline has learnt.

The FTSE 100 is up 30.4 points, or 0.47%, to 6,492.8 in early trading, as the banking sector pushes ahead on bid speculation.

The FTSE 100 has ended the session up 46 points, or 0.72%, to 6,462.4, as oil and drug stocks pushed the index higher.

The resolution of the Iran hostage crisis helped boost the US stock market and may have helped avoid a recession, according to BlackRock Merrill Lynch.

The FTSE 100 has ended the session up 3.1 points, or 0.05%, to 6,416.4, as positive trading news offset losses by property companies.

The FTSE 100 has ended the session down 4.5 points, or 0.07%, to 6,413.3, as losses on Wall Street pulled the index back from near six-year highs.

The FTSE 100 index has ended the day up 20.5 points, or 0.32%, to 6,417.8, as an increase in metal prices pushed mining stocks higher.

The FTSE 100 has ended the session on a positive note with a rise of 32.6 points, or 0.51%, to 6,397.3, following the Bank of England's decision to maintain interest rates at 5.25%.