Financial Favourites

The BBC are reporting:

The pound and the FTSE 100 index of top UK-listed shares have hit their highest levels since October on growing hopes for an economic recovery.

Markets took heart after brighter UK economic data and a rally in financial stocks following profits from banking giants HSBC and Barclays.

Sterling rose as high as $1.6965 against the dollar and hit a one-month high against the euro of 84.63p.

The FTSE 100 index ended at its highest level since early October at 4,682.46.

The index rose 1.6%, or 74 points, and earlier hit intra-day trading high of 4,710.23.