It was with much sadness that I learnt of the death of the President of Venezuela, a man whom put himself forward to the people 14 times.

An improved outlook on the crisis in Libya and a raft of positive blue-chip updates saw the FTSE 100 Index break back through the 6000 barrier today.

The London market pushed ahead today as traders expected more positive employment figures from the US and seized on reports of a mooted peace deal for Libya.