Global stock markets boosted amid speculation China may devalue

FTSE and Dow Jones climb as analysts predict Beijing will ease monetary policy to stimulate growth after figures show 8.3% fall in exports

Stock markets around the world have been lifted by hopes that the Chinese government will allow its currency to devalue to boost growth after figures at the weekend showed a surprise slump in exports from the world's second-largest economy.

The FTSE turned a near 80-point loss into a 17-point gain on Monday as investors speculated that Beijing will move to offset further bad news from its manufacturing sector on Wednesday with a package of measures to help exports. In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 223 points, or 1.3%, in early afternoon trading.

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