FTSE 100 Rises To All-time-high

(RTTNews) - Strong economic updates helped the FTSE 100 benchmark of the London Stock Exchange touch a fresh all-time high. Sentiment improved following a massive jump in retail sales as well as better-than-expected readings for manufacturing and services PMI.

Data showed retail sales volumes rising by 1.8 percent month-on-month in January, far exceeding market expectations of an increase of 0.2 percent and accelerating from a 0.4 percent gain in December.

The FTSE 100 which had closed at 10,627.04 on Thursday traded between 10,638.35 and an all-time high of 10,718.40 on Friday.

The index is currently trading at 10,679.85, adding 0.50 percent from the previous close. At current levels, the benchmark has gained more than 23 percent over the course of the past one year.

In the 100-scrip index, only 16 scrips are trading in the overnight red zone. Diageo topped gains with a surge of 3.8 percent. Burberry Group as well as Centrica gained close to 2.5 percent. British Land Company also rallied 2 percent.

BP led losses with a decline of 1.9 percent. Easyjet, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Glencore, Rio Tinto all slipped more than half percent.

Amidst the dollar's weakness, the six-currency Dollar Index has declined to 97.86 from 97.93 at close on Thursday. The GBP/USD pair has in the meanwhile rallied 0.12 percent to 1.3482. The sterling ranged between $1.3485 and $1.3435 in the day's trade. The EUR/GBP pair slipped 0.14 percent to 0.8730. The GBP/JPY pair is currently trading 0.21 percent higher at 209.22 after ranging between 209.50 and 208.39.

With bond yields easing across regions and tenors amidst geopolitical tensions and haven demand, bond yields in the U.K. also declined. Ten-year bond yields in the U.K. decreased 0.53 percent to 4.3480 percent. The yields ranged between 4.3760 percent and 4.3350 percent over the course of the day. Yields had closed at 4.3710 percent a day earlier.