FTSE 100 closes near record high as sterling slides to lowest since 1985

Broke 7,000 this morning

The FTSE 100 continued to rise in afternoon trading today, after breaking through the 7,000 barrier this morning.

It closed up 1.3% to 7,074, near to its record closing high of 7,104. The FTSE 250 also gained ground, up 0.87% to 18,342 points, which is its highest ever closing level.  The blue-chip index received a boost as sterling dropped to a 31-year low against the US dollar, boosting the share prices of companies with international earnings. This latest fall came after Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed this week Article 50 will be triggered by the end of March 2017 and investors worried about the UK leaving the EU single market as part of the Brexit deal. Sterling dipped 0.62% to sit at $...