In contrast, General Electric shares closed down $1 yesterday, to $69.125 each, with a price/ earnings ratio of 15.

Services was also the the most highly valued segment, sporting an 18.2 price to earnings ratio.

But again larger concerns generated higher market valuations - the median price to earnings ratio was 24.7 against 15.1 for smaller firms.

The earnings ratio for the £10 for 5 years at 6% is 16.28%.

Inevitably, nominal price/ earnings ratios soared - to 50, 70 and, last year, 100.

So the female-to-male earnings ratio reached a high of 0.76.

What is a good price to earnings ratio?

Learn what a good price to earnings ratio is in this article.

The female-to-male earnings ratio was 0.81, slightly higher than the 2008 ratio.

Meanwhile, money continued to move into blue chip stocks from technology companies that carry much higher price to earnings ratios.