FTSE closes at record high

THE FTSE 100 ended 2017 at a new record high yesterday, on a shortened final day of trading before the New Year break.

The index of the UK’S 100 biggest companies closed up 0.9 per cent at 7,687.77 points, the second year in a row it has finished at an all-time high.

The FTSE 100 has risen 7.6 per cent over the year, shrugging off concerns about Brexit and slowing growth in the UK economy, providing a boost to investors who hold tracker funds that follow its movements. The index climbed 3.9 per cent this month alone after Theresa May’s breakthrough in Brexit talks. The FTSE 250 index, mainly focused on the UK, also closed at a record high, touching 20,726.26. It is up 14.65 per cent over the year.

Stock markets around the world have enjoyed a strong year. For example, the Dow Jones, the main US index, has risen by 25 per cent in 2017.