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2.  Tulisan Tentang Ekonomi

US economy data lifts FTSE 100 index to five-year-high

FTSE 100 – the index of shares in top 100 UK companies rose above 6,500 for the first time since onset of the financial crisis

UK share prices rose in line with Wall Street, while the value of Sterling against US dollar fell to $1.49. Photograph Graham Turner

Shares in London rose to their highest point in more than five years amid growing optimism about the health of the US economy.

The FTSE 100 – the index of the blue-chip companies quoted in the City – rose above 6,500 for the first time since the early stages of the financial crisis following upbeat news last week from the world's biggest economy.

With investors still anxious about the lack of growth in the UK, the stronger data from the other side of the Atlantic meant that the pound dropped in value against the US dollar to its lowest level in two and a half years.

But share prices rose in tandem with equities on Wall Street, with the FTSE closing up 20.05 points at 6,503.63. The London market closed strongly after the US S&P 500 hit its strongest intra-day levels since late 2007, continuing to benefit from better than expected jobs data last Friday.

"We are just grinding higher on the back of stronger US data that we keep seeing," said Adam Seagrave, equity trader at Saxon Bank.

"For the right shares, people are still very happy to take stock on at these levels, but at some point we will probably have to pause for breath."

Speculation that the threat of an unprecedented triple-dip recession will prompt fresh action from Threadneedle Street meant sterling was dumped by hedge funds and long-term investors on the foreign exchanges.

The pound has been one of the weakest global currencies in the first two months of 2013, falling by 8.4% against the dollar and by 7.6% against the euro. Sterling was trading below $1.49 against the dollar yesterday, with dealers expecting further falls over the coming days.

Willem Sels, UK head of investment strategy at HSBC Private Bank, cited the sluggishness of the British economy, the likelihood of further stimulus measures from the Bank of England, and diminishing fears of a US recession, a euro breakup or a Chinese hard landing, as reasons for the pound's recent fall. "We have held a negative view on Sterling since mid-January and continue to look for further weakness."

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which has 33 rich-country members, published data suggesting that the economy was unlikely to grow strongly over the coming months.

The Paris-based thinktank's leading indicator – a guide to how economies will perform in the future – showed that the improvement in the UK seen in the second half of 2012 had stalled.

After hitting a trough of 99.2 in late 2011 and early 2012, the leading indicator gradually rose last year, reaching 99.7 in June and 100 in August. It has now remained at 100.6 for the past three months.

Howard Archer, UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said: "The OECD leading indicator reinforces our suspicion that while the UK should be able to grow through 2013, activity will be muted and fragile for some time to come with relapses remaining a very real risk. We expect growth to be limited to around 0.8% in 2013 after GDP edged up 0.2% in 2012."