FTSE LIVE: Footsie extends gains to 2.5% as US stocks open strongly with Fed rate hike fears easing on further weak data

The FTSE 100 index was 155.4 points, or 2.5 per cent higher at 6,285.4, while in Europe, France's CAC 40 index jumped 3.7 per cent, and Germany's Dax 30 index gained 2.8 per cent.