What a week for the London stock market. The current bull run entered its fourth year on Monday, taking it into territory last charted 50 years ago. And yesterday the FTSE 100 pierced the 6000 mark for the first time since March 2001.

Since London hit its bear market nadir on March 12 2003 – shortly before the outbreak of hostilities against Iraq – the FTSE 100 has risen a dizzying 82.5 per cent. But even that is eclipsed by the 159 per cent rise for the FTSE 250, and the 92 per cent jump in the FTSE All Share.