FTSE 100 hits all-time trading high as pound slides below $1.23 on 'hard Brexit' fear

The Footsie hit an all-time trading high today boosted by gains in its giant international companies' share prices, as the pound remained under pressure from ‘hard Brexit’ fears. Around midday, the FTSE 100 index hit its best-ever intra-day level of 7,129.83, surpassing the previous peak of 7,122.74 reached in April last year. All eyes are now on whether it can deliver a record close.

Savings providers are continuing to hack away at easy-access rates with RCI Bank slashing its best buy deal for the third time this year.

Ten bits of bad driving you might not know you can get penalty points for

Speeding, drink-driving and using a mobile are Speeding, being over the drink-drive limit, using a mobile, and having no insurance are three of the better-known reasons motorists receive fines and penalty points, but there are others that you might be oblivious to. Here are 10 motoring violations that you might not realise could spell points on your licence or a fine.

ETFs enjoyed record inflows in the first nine months of the year, as investors flocked to low-cost products. this was dominated by large flows to US equities.

Forty eight per cent of Britons felt upbeat about the economy last month, compared to 47 per cent who did not and 5 per cent who weren't sure, according to the spending report from Barclaycard.

The cost of filling up a typical family car has already risen by nearly £6.50 in the last seven months after unleaded jumped from around £1 a litre to more than 113p.

The 17 per cent tumble in the pound, post-Brexit, has made the top FTSE350 companies and beyond particularly susceptible to a hard currency bid from the US, Japan or China.

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FTSE LIVE: Footsie slips from record assault as weak oil price offsets benefits of

Around midday, the FTSE 100 index hit its best-ever intra-day level of 7,129.83, surpassing the previous peak of 7,122.74 reached on April 27 last year. The UK blue chip index eased back slightly from that high, but was still up 26.0 at 7,123.5, also on course to surpass its highest-ever closing level of 7,103.98. On currency markets, sterling remained lower following Friday’s 6 per cent ‘flash crash’, losing another 0.8 per cent versus the dollar at $1.2260.

PageGroup's UK third quarter profits fell 4.7 per cent to £37.8million, with profits in financial services falling by 14 per cent, and the firm's chief executive claimed confidence levels remain 'fragile.'

Ted Baker's pretax profits jumped to £21.5million in the six months to August 13 as its sales climbed 13.6 per cent, with online sales up 29.7 per cent.

Stewart Wingate, the chief executive of Gatwick, was 45 on Saturday. Clearly, he has been prematurely aged by his tireless championing of his airport in its fight with Heathrow for an extra runway.

Deutsche has since used the test as evidence of its good health. But a footnote reveals that the results included £3.2bn raised from a sale which has still not gone through.

Phil Bentley will replace Tory peer Ruby McGregor-Smith who has quit just weeks after the struggling security and cleaning staff supplier posted a shock profit warning.

Professors Markus K. Brunnermeier and Harold James on the Big Money Questions

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus according to the self-help classic. Well, the same could be said about Germany and France, Princeton professors Markus K. Brunnermeier and Harold James explain. Their divergent views are rocking the eurozone and could have an impact on Brexit too, they explain in the latest episode of the Big Money Questions show.

RBS destroyed customers' businesses for profit suggests leaked files

The Royal Bank of Scotland has come under increased scrutiny today after leaked files emerged which show it deliberately destroyed customers' businesses in order to boost profits. New documents show 'project dash for cash' which crippled firms and dangled hefty bonuses to staff who targeted firms to be 'restructured.'

Bank accounts are closed by 'kangaroo courts', says TONY HETHERINGTON as another customer

I saw your article about Barclays dumping a client who had £94,000 in his account - apparently for reasons involving alleged money laundering - and thought the guy was probably innocent. I have had similar treatment. I am an independent financial adviser, so have to be whiter than white, but my bank, HSBC, does not listen.

Why are there two different BHS websites, which is the real one?

I was about to buy a lamp I wanted on the new BHS website but before I did, I had another search online and found a differing BHS website. If you check out BHS.com and BHSdirect.co.uk, they both appear to be using branding from the old high street brand. Are they both the same or is one a scam? I would like to know before ordering anything.

Sterling, already languishing after the Brexit vote, took a fresh battering late last week, and economists warn that the falling pound could lead to inflation soaring to 3 per cent or higher next year.

The money was shared among around 200 key employees at BHS headquarters. They were told about the payment on the same day as 11,000 staff were informed they would lose their jobs.

Women are modernising their Land Rover Defenders

Just because the classic Land Rover Defender has reached the end of the line, that doesn’t mean drivers’ love affair with the original British 4x4 has waned. Women are among the ­Defender’s most ardent fans, Ray Massey has discovered. Even Her Majesty (pictured) loves hers.

Ford Fiesta motor car.

One in three motorists pay over the odds for their car insurance - and the worst thing you can do is simply renew. We reveal ten tips to get the cheapest car insurance deal

I switched to Extra Energy but it only switched my gas over and refuses to send me a bill - even though it's now been nine months since I moved to it and I've called up numerous times.

'If I have money, I always buy property' says Loose Women’s Saira Khan who went from a

Loose Women star Saira Khan earned more than £100,000 for spending just 12 days in the Celebrity Big Brother house - but takes great pride in wearing £14 dresses from charity shops on a night out at the opera. Khan, 46, shot to fame when she took part in the first ever series of reality TV show The Apprentice, which returned to our screens last Thursday for the 12th time. Although she did not win, Lord Sugar was so impressed he gave her a job with a six-figure salary.

The details are set to spark a fresh row over pension rights and whether owners should receive huge sums from firms despite black holes in retirement funds.

These stylish dresses came with a twist - they were made entirely out of wallpaper. The stunt was to promote British wallpaper brands, who could get a boost due to the cheaper pound.

Big Four supermarkets lose £5 to £7 on every online order

Dan Murphy, a partner at global retail consultants Kurt Salmon, is warning that supermarkets are caught in an 'Emperor's new clothes' scenario and have 'blinded themselves to the reality' of the loss-making nature of food delivery. 'They lose between £5 and £7 on every order and the more orders they attract and more it grows the more they lose,' he said.

The joint letter from business groups including the CBI and the EEF said Brexit 'must deliver barrier-free access to the EU's Single Market, which is vital to the health of the UK economy'.

People in England aged 55 and over currently own £1.5trillion worth of property, £0.1trillion more than Italy's annual GDP, according to research.

Banks are good value in an expensive market, says Richard Buxton

Investors need to be bold to hold banks right now, but experienced fund manager Richard Buxton is sticking to his guns. He reveals why he is looking for value, as defensive stocks look expensive. And with the stock market soaring even as the pound has taken a beating, he explains what's going on and why that means big blue-chip dollar earners could make a good buy.

How to beat parking tickets on the street and private land

More than 90 per cent of motorists faced with a parking ticket - unfair or not - automatically pay up. Yet half of those prepared to tough it out through the appeals process will eventually win, we explain how to do so.

What to watch out for when investing in Banksy and other street art

On Wednesday the London-based Forum Auctions will be auctioning off more than 40 original Banksy prints - expected to sell for between £1,000 and £70,000 each. These prints are limited edition copies made by Banksy of his graffiti wall art. One of the most iconic is Girl With Balloon and it has an estimated sales value of between £50,000 and £70,000. When first produced in 2004 these signed prints were available for £150.

Last year I put £10,000 into a 65+ Guaranteed Growth Bond from National Savings & Investments and declared at the time that I was a non-taxpayer.

How hard does your bank account work for you? Here's our pick of the best accounts to make your money work harder, cut down on fees, or get free stuff.

Handy Brexit table explains the options for the UK's exit from the EU

Despite endless media coverage of the political wrangling and financial speculation, the average Briton can be forgiven for remaining confused about what 'soft' and 'hard' Brexit really mean. About the difference between the 'Norway model' for the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the UK and the 'Swiss solution'. But a clever table put together by HSBC in a report called 'Is Brexit Getting Harder?' cleaves some clarity from the murk.

Cash savers, many retired and dependent on the interest from their deposit savings, are suffering what seems like a thousand cuts.

Perhaps the slump in the pound is a one-off fluke, a moment of madness caused by a deranged computer program or a fat-fingered trade by a clumsy trader.

Pure Gym pulls the plug on its IPO, blaming market volatility and 'challenging conditions'

Pure Gym said that pursuing a listing 'in this period of market volatility is not in the long-term interests of the company and its stakeholders'. Listings on the UK stock market had been expected to bounce back following a post-Brexit vote slump. But the recent 'flash crash' by the pound and growing uncertainty about Britain's relationship with the European Union, triggered in part by speeches at last week's Conservative Party conference, have dampened confidence.

Bob Dudley revealed that he thinks the global oil market is 'pretty much in balance'. His comments come after a week of oil price rises. Crude finished yesterday 3 per cent higher at $53.50 a barrel.

Mega rich ex-Credit Suisse banker Russell Chambers has joined former Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Mayfair-based private equity firm Bain Capital.

Record sales for Kate's jeweller: Monic a Vinader poaches boss of Boden to serve as

The British brand, which sells a range of jewellery that can be personalised, was back in the black with profits of £202,000 compared to a loss of £255,630 the year before.

The dominant message of this year’s financial meetings in Washington was that it was time to end top down economic policies and think more about ‘distributional issues’.

By contrast, English businesses will have to wait for the reduction to be phased in over four years.

The burger chain was snapped up by Famous Brands, which also owns Wimpy, last month for £120m and boss Alasdair Murdoch has got the green light to open up to 15 new restaurants a year.

Takeover target SVG Capital confirmed that US raider HarbourVest had made an improved proposal for the assets of its business but had made no formal bid.

REVEALED: The most and least affordable places in the UK to buy a home - as average house

Regional differences mean Burnley in Lancashire is the most affordable place while Westminster in London is the least affordable, the latest research from the Office for National Statistics has revealed.

Under the controversial plans, anyone going to university would face working until they are almost 70. But those who leave school at 18 could be eligible to start drawing their state pension at 63.

MIDAS SHARE TIPS: As the markets totter, Jimmy Choo is on a sound footing

The luxury footwear maker appears to be weathering the unease in consumer markets. It is still one of the fastest growing luxury brands in the world and, crucially for UK investors, this London-listed fashion name is set to benefit hugely from the slump in the value of the pound. In the first half of this year, the company announced global revenues were up 3.8% on the same period last year on a constant currency basis. This means applying the same exchange rate for the two periods. On a reported currency basis, which shows the effect of currency changes, revenues rose 9.2%.

Midas tipped the shares in July at 33½p and by the end of the year, they were 77½p. Since then, the performance has been pedestrian and today the stock is 67p, having drifted for most of 2016.

Now worth £1billion, it has rewarded launch investors with returns of 156 per cent - double those of a fund tracking the FTSE All-Share Index over the same period.

Every weekend, This is Money rounds up the share tips in the Sunday newspapers. This week, Midas runs the rule over luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo and updates on health firm OptiBiotix.

Performance on some ethical or green funds has been diabolical as savers have missed out on some of the stellar from companies which green funds aren't allowed to invest in.

Former City worker who launched a tie business after he was made redundant expects sales

Patrick Dudley-Williams said: 'I had worked in the City for around 13 years and then I was made redundant in November 2012 - two days before my wife had twins.' The concept for Reef Knots was 'the idea that my ties were going to remind you of life as far away from the corporate world as possible'.

The volume of firms newly registered at Companies House had been soaring prior to the referendum, but then the rise almost ground to a halt.

Stephen Kelly left his role as chief operating officer for the Government in November 2014 to lead The Sage Group, which sells business services and software to 3million of Britain's 5.4million firms.

The firm offers free-to-air channels plus an optional bundle of more than 30 others for £4.99 a month without a contract.

Anthony Ward, 56, pictured with his wife Carolyn, owns a 40 hectare vineyard in South Africa with the capacity to produce 37,500 gallons of wine.

A bakery....for dogs? Four Legged Fancies wins business and celebrity fans

You might not think twice about treating your friends and family to a slice of cake, but would you do the same for your dog? It may sound like an indulgence too far, but Victoria Stent, owner of the Four Legged Fancies bakery for dogs, says a positive message lies behind her canine confections. We found out how she is setting tails and tongues wagging.

It's the ultimate auction for Porsche fans and we pick 25 of the best

If you have a penchant for Porsches then this upcoming auction will send you into a frenzy of air-cooled, Targa-topped, flat-six celebration. It's the Porsche Club Great Britain's sale taking place on October 15, at the Silverstone race circuit in Northamptonshire, and it features some of the most collectible cars the German brand has ever created. We've picked our 25 favourites, covering cars from 1959 right through to 2010 with a few surprises along the way.

The cheapest travel destinations revealed... and why where you fly from and what day you

What day you usually fly on? If it's a Sunday instead of a Tuesday did you know you could be spending £145 more per person? Not only can the day of the trip cost you more, the destination and where you book from can have a big impact on the final cost, according to new research. Ireland is the cheapest place to fly to from the UK, with flights priced at £90.98 on average, followed by the Netherlands at £94, other UK destinations at £96.62 and Denmark at £112.56. While flights to the United Arab Emirates are the cheapest for long-haul destinations, according to data taken from 2.1 million flights booked between August 2015 and July 2016 on the website Cheapflights.co.uk. 

Mrs May hinted in her conference speech on Wednesday that she would introduce policies to help savers after quantitative easing and the interest-rate cut had 'bad side effects'.

Over half a million workers who retire before pension age could get a boost to their state pension in exchange for a relatively small sum of money, according to analysis.

How to minimise heat loss and make your home cosy for the chilly months ahead

Getting your own home in shape requires a dose of creativity. Start with the basics and look at clever ways to minimise heat loss. Getting your own home in shape requires a dose of creativity. Start with the basics and look at clever ways to minimise heat loss. Loose window frames, poor glazing, ill-fitting doors and exposed floorboards are all culprits. Bear in mind that full-length curtains can trap radiator heat when drawn closed, so consider alternatives such as blinds and shorter drapes.

Hammond said Carney was doing 'a good job' and that he would welcome his decision to serve a full eight-year term if he intended to stay in the top job until 2021.

House price inflation is forecast to continue tailing off as the property market softens, with Halifax revealing today that annual gains had slipped to 5.8 per cent.

Buy-to-let mortgage tax relief battle backed by Cherie Blair hits the skids

Landlords campaigning against the hacking back of mortgage tax relief were dealt a bitter blow today. The Administrative Court did not grant permission to proceed with a full judicial review hearing of the legislation in the case led by Cherie Blair, CBE and QC of Omnia Strategy LLP, representing co-claimants Steve Bolton and Chris Cooper.

A total of 20 separate homes are for sale at The Park Crescent in London, ranging from two to four bedrooms and costing between £3,950,000 and £20million.

As the pound continues to suffer from fears over Brexit, the euro rate has crumbled to €0.97 for a pound at the Moneycorp desk at London Southend Airport.

If pound keeps falling FTSE 100 could hit 7,700, says Richard Buxton

'At the moment, to be honest, it's very, very simple, it's all about the currency', said veteran fund manager Richard Buxton when we discussed the Footsie this week - and that means the stock market could keep rising. If sterling goes to 1.15 to the dollar as some are suggesting, he says the current trend could deliver a FTSE 100 at 7,700.

Manager Sam Cosh chooses from more than 2,000 business to invest in. Some 22 per cent of the trust's assets are in Germany companies, 17 per cent Irish and 14 per cent Italian.

In an ideal world dividend cover should work out at two times earnings or more, but latest research from shows many FTSE 100 firms have fallen short.

INVESTMENT CLINIC: I've inherited £50,000. Should I use it to overpay on my mortgage or to

The traditional advice when you have a large sum of money is to use it to get rid of any debt. That means credit cards, overdrafts and loans - and it also means mortgages. But many providers will charge you for early repayments, while lower interest rates mean offloading ahead of time is not as important as it was.

Typically, workers saving for a house, wedding or holiday use their bank's standard savings account. But these now pay next to nothing.

My husband and I made joint wills. We are divorced and he remarried three years ago. He has recently passed away and didn't make a will with his new wife. Is his old will with me valid?

Should I remortgage my buy-to-lets early to escape mortgage crackdown?

I've just remortgaged one of my buy-to-let properties with The Mortgage Works who told me that far from needing my rent to cover my mortgage by an extra 25 per cent, it now needs to cover it by an extra 45 per cent.  The change really threw me and meant that I ended up putting in extra equity to the property to pull the loan-to-value and rate down.  I have four other buy-to-lets, all of which are due to be remortgaged fairly imminently but I am still in the period where I'll need to pay early repayment charges to remortgage now. 

Make sure you take into account our five factors to remember before buying a ski chalet to help ensure you make the most of your investment.

The card gave 3 per cent cashback on travel spending, 2 per cent at department stores and 1 per cent at supermarkets, up to £3 each month. Existing customers can use the card as normal.

Get free expert help with your investing, saving and finances in the Money Pit Stop

Wedding pots, retirement income, university fees -  everyone has financial goals they are working towards. Our new column offers you the chance to have your portfolio looked over by experts - who can suggest changes to help realise your ambitions.

50 ways to save money....

To clear the average national household debt of ?13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of ?100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.

Pick the best (and cheapest) investment Isa platform

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

In this low-income world it can be hard to find mainstream investments paying a significant yield. Stifel has compiled a list of 19 investment trusts with a yield of more than 4 per cent.

L Board sign on the rear of a blue saloon car , UK

If you are new to investing then the huge number of funds and investment trusts on offer can be confusing. Fortunately, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started.

Income investing: Dividends can deliver both a healthy boost to long-term growth and a way to earn from your investments.

Income investing can let you draw on your portfolio or reinvest dividends to build solid growth over time. Our experts give their fund and investment trust recommendations.

On the up: Emerging markets such as Brazil are where much of the world's growth is expected to be over future years.

If you're looking to add some flair to your investing Isa with emerging markets, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started

Will the UK be Norway, Switzerland or Canada? Brexit trade deals we could follow

Now that we've voted ourselves out of the EU, it's time to work out how we're going to trade in future with all its 27 member countries - and the other 27 countries it has deals with. So how do other non-EU members trade with the bloc and would any of their models suit us?

It would have been nice to have a plan. Instead, after the Brexit vote we were left scratching our heads. But now it's time for some answers on trade and what we mean to the EU.

Pensions Road Sign against threatening clouds

We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

When will UK interest rates rise?

Interest rates were held at 0.25 per cent in September and experts are divided on whether the Bank of England will cut again. Howard Archer, chief UK and European Economist at IHS Markit Global Insight, said: 'At this stage, we believe it is still just about more likely than not that the Bank of England will take interest rates down to 0.10 per cent from 0.25 per cent in November.'

What next for mortgage rates?

The base rate has fallen to a new record low of 0.25% and could be cut again. But what does all of this mean for mortgage rates, which have been steadily falling over the past month to record lows?

Ten tips for buy-to-let

For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips

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Musicians have seen pay rises averaging nearly 20 per cent in 2015, while cleaners are getting 17.8 per cent more, and window cleaners 12.3 per cent. Artists in general are earning 14.6 per cent more in 2015 than 2014, according to the huge annual data dump of pay scales by the Office For National Statistics highlights.

Premium Bonds winners

October 2016
Prize value Winning bond No. Area
£1,000,000 276AV278339 Essex
£1,000,000 215XY865796 Staffordshire
£100,000 259ZN414297 Dorset
£100,000 141CJ661353 Derbyshire
£100,000 138HB024467 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
£50,000 2VR747799 Greater Manchester
£50,000 241QS845329 Hertfordshire
£50,000 206GW792012 Sheffield
£50,000 103WK587629 Reading
£25,000 92NE335986 Overseas
£25,000 86GW534216 Cheshire West and Chester
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