Weak pound helps lift FTSE

Britain’s major share index climbed, flirting with its record high level but underperforming European peers,

The FTSE 100 consumer staples and industrials stocks provided the top boosts to send it hovering near its highest intra-day level of 7,586.45 points hit earlier in the week. A weaker sterling initially provided a boost to the London-listed international stocks but the currency turned positive by the end of trading. Pressure on sterling has been intensifying over the past week as some opinion polls point to a tighter-than-expected UK general election race.

The latest poll published by the Times showed UK prime minister Theresa May’s lead down to just three percentage points ahead of the opposition Labour party, ahead of next week’s vote.