According to Ingram's calculations, over the fourteen years since the FTSE 100 was last at 6800, its companies have paid out the equivalent of another 2400 in dividends.

So having climbed as high as 6875, the FTSE 100 finished 36.4 points higher at 6840.27, just 90 points from its peak of 6930 reached on 30 December 1999.

A day after the FTSE 100 reached its best level since September 2000, London's benchmark index surged a further 48.24 points to 6,803.87, taking the main board to another significant milestone.

Overall the FTSE 100 finished 32.57 points higher at 6755.63, pushing through the peak of 6732 seen in 2007 and reaching its highest level since September 2000, just as the dotcom bubble was about to burst.

FTSE 100 hits high. Last night I found myself declaring that the London Stock Exchange had hit a height unseen since 1999. Last night I found myself declaring that this level was the fifth highest in history.

The FTSE 100, which has a much greater exposure to the world economy than it does to the British economy, has been boosted by central bank interest rate cuts and quantitative easing around the world.

Its share price is up a meagre 6% over the past 12 months, against a barnstorming 26% for the FTSE 100. Over two years, it is down 10%.

LONDON (Reuters) - The FTSE top share index closed within sight of its all-time high on Tuesday, lifted by mining stocks and positive corporate news from luxury retailer Burberry among others.

A look at the top-selling UK singles of 1999 is a reminder of how upbeat the atmosphere was in the year the FTSE100 hit all-time highs of 6,930.

The FTSE 100 continued to rally this week climbing ever closer to its all-time high of 6930, reached just before New Year's Eve in 1999 shortly before the dotcom party ended.