by 29 points to 7,140. Markets will close at lunchtime on Friday due to the New Year's Eve celebrations.to close out a year of solid returns. The FTSE and the DAX are on track to see gains of 15% for this year, while the French CAC is close to a 30% gain.
Historically, many benchmarks gain during the Santa Claus rally — the final five trading days of the current year and the first two of the new year. The period began Monday.