8 February 2021 | 12:06pm
StockMarketWire.com - The FTSE 100 gathered momentum on Monday as investors looked to progress on a $1.9 trillion US stimulus package, with the index also supported by weakness in sterling. By midday the FTSE 100 was up 1.2% to 6,565.41.
Index heavyweights BP and Royal Dutch Shell gained 2.7% to 254.25p and 1.3% to £12.97 respectively after Brent crude prices hit $60 a barrel for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.
Credit reporting company Experian reversed 0.6% to £26.20, despite stating there was no evidence its systems had been compromised following media reports about data illegally offered for sale in Brazil.
Experian said the data included photographs, social security numbers, vehicle registrations and social media login details, but stressed that its Brazilian unit Serasa did not collect or hold such data.
8 February 2021 | 16:39pm
StockMarketWire.com - The FTSE 100 closed up materially on Monday, rising xx to xxxx.xx but was off its highs amid competing catalysts around oil prices, US stimulus and Covid.
In the US stocks ascended to new record highs with the S&P 500 ahead by 0.3% to 3,897.89 at 4.30pm UK time. Bitcoin also hit a fresh record level after emerged that tech firm Tesla had invested $1.5 billion in the cryptocurrency.
FTSE heavyweights BP and Royal Dutch Shell gained 4.1% to 262.3p and 2% to £13.05 respectively after Brent crude prices reached $60 a barrel for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.