Equities end year on positive note

Oil prices edged down yesterday but headed for their biggest annual percentage rise since 2009, with world stocks also up nearly six per cent over the year despite concerns over China's slowing growth and weakening currency. Global markets have fared surprisingly well in a year marked by major political shocks, including June's Brexit vote and the unexpected election of Donald Trump as US president in November. US stocks have hit successive record highs and emerging equities have rebounded eight per cent after three years in the red . Wall Street looked set to add to those gains, with index futures pointing to higher opening levels. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was poised for its best annual performance since 2013. Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up 0.3 per cent at a record high of 7,142.83 points after a pre-holiday half-day session, having rose more than 23 per cent from lows hit immediately after the June 23 vote to leave the EU. MSCI's world index, which tracks shares in 46 countries, was up 0.1 per cent on Friday, with many investors having booked profits off the benchmark's 13 per cent run since end-June. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.3 per...

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