London’s stock market is just inches away from an all-time high following a surge of share prices earlier this week. On Tuesday, Britain’s FTSE 100 index closed at 6803.87, just 130 points shy of its highest-ever point in 1999.<br />
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The market hasn’t seen highs in this area since the height of the dotcom boom in the late 1990s.<br />
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Throughout the day Tuesday, the FTSE 100 index of Britain’s top companies, drifted. The close of the day brought the best level in more than thirteen years. So far this year, the index has risen by at least 906 points, which is a growth of about 15%.<br />
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A positive reaction to news from Vodafone and Marks & Spencer as well as a revival in mining shares added to the boost. However, the main thrust may be from the common expectation that central banks would continue to feed economic growth through quantitative easing, bond-buying programmes, and low interest rates. Current data does show a pick-up in the global economy.<br />
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Better-than-anticipated inflation figures in the UK also helped. These figures indicated that the consumer price index fell from 2.8% to 2.4% in March, allowing for the Bank of England to continue easing. This will likely continue as new Governor Mark Carney takes over this July.<br />
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The FTSE All-Share index, which is a broader market than the FTSE 100, has already hit a record high, closing at 3587.85. This marks a consecutive 14th daily rise – a run that has only been beaten one previous time, in the mid-1980s.<br />
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According to most analysts, the FTSE 100 will soon break through Tuesday’s high and surpass the 7000 level.