Published on 16th July 2014
1630: Close The FTSE 100 jumped 74.22 points to 6784.67 after better-than-expected reports on Chinese growth and UK unemployment. Chinese gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.5% in the second quarter of 2014, meeting the government's target and beating forecasts for it to remain unchanged from 7.4% in the first quarter. The UK unemployment rate fell from 6.6% to 6.5% in the three months to May, its lowest rate since 2008 and two years before Bank of England Governor Mark Carney had targeted this level. Meggitt was the top riser on reports that the company could attract a US bidder such as United Technologies.