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1st LD Writethru: British FTSE 100 hits record high

Xinhua, February 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

FTSE 100 Index, the British benchmark stock market gauge, Tuesday increased by 0.54 percent, or 87.47 points, to 6949.63 points, surpassing its all-time high of 6930.20 points in late December 1999, after euro zone finance ministers approved reform proposals submitted by Greece.

The Eurogroup Tuesday said they agreed to extend the current funding agreement with Greece by up to four months.

On the same day, Janet Yellen, chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, said the Fed could be flexible in determining when to raise interest rates, by stressing many U.S. citizens remained unemployed with wages growth still "sluggish."

Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England (BoE), Tuesday said the current low inflation in Britain was temporary and would return to the central bank's target of 2 percent within two years.

Mining giant BHP Billiton's share price increased by 6.24 percent, topped the gainers of the blue chips.

Prices of Anglo American, Fresnillo, Antofagasta and SSE advanced by 3.26 percent, 3.05 percent, 3.00 percent and 2.93 percent respectively.

Meggitt led the top losers of the blue chips with a share price drop of 5.95 percent, followed by Persimmon (3.51 percent), GKN (3.21 percent), Vodafone Group (2.66 percent) and Taylor Wimpey (2.62 percent).

The FTSE 100 has gained 6.36 percent so far this year in U.S. dollar terms. Endit