S&P 500

US markets continued to edge higher on Wednesday, despite the Federal Reserve's latest minutes suggesting an interest rate hike may come sooner than expected.

Global markets have jumped and oil has hit a 14-month low as geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine show signs of abating.

Where’s the value?

Markets across Asia and the US climbed on Thursday, following a bout of soft economic data which saw retail sales in the US stall.

FUND GROUPS

Global shares and US treasury yields fell on Thursday and Friday while gold soared as investors sought safety following a passenger jet crash in Ukraine.

Managers have said the low volatility seen in financial markets is not restricting their ability to boost yields by writing call options, despite lower strike prices.

The percentage of stocks borrowed by short sellers has fallen to the lowest level since before the financial crisis, as markets continue to rally.

The US' two main markets climbed to record highs on Thursday, driven by better than expected jobs data.

The FTSE 100 was higher by mid-morning despite this morning's data from the ONS revealing a greater than expected fall in the rate of CPI inflation.