The FTSE 100's surge to 7,454.44 points – a 1.2% rise from yesterday's close – marks a significant turnaround for the London Stock Exchange this week, as all major indices post substantial gains in the final hours of trading today. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 has gained 0.8% to reach 21,544.14 points.
A combination of improved economic sentiment and encouraging company earnings is driving investor confidence, with analysts pointing to a 6.3% increase in UK GDP growth as a key factor behind this week's market rally. This upswing is being reflected across various sectors, with finance (+2.5%), technology (+2.2%), and healthcare (+1.9%) leading the charge.
Breaking down the numbers, we see that 75% of FTSE 100 constituents have reported positive earnings growth in the past quarter, while consumer confidence has also shown signs of improvement – a key driver for UK household spending power.