The FTSE 100 was up 0.73 per cent this morning at 9:00 BST – rising 39.30- points to 5,528.60.
Gains and losses were spread across the sectors, with builders merchant Wolseley up 5.67 per cent, while South African-based insurer Old Mutual rose 4.17 per cent.
Fellow insurer Royal & Sun Alliance rose 2.81 per cent – continuing its good fortune from last week's profit gains – and Thomson Reuters climbed 2.59 per cent and Friends Provident was up 2.59 per cent.
Meanwhile miner Eurasian dropped 5.07 per cent, credit reference agency Experian fell 2.29 per cent and AstraZeneca was down 1.70 per cent.
London Stock Exchange Group fell 1.49 per cent and Shire was down 0.99 per cent.
On the currency markets, sterling was up 1 cent against the dollar to $1.92354 and down against the euro to €1.27725, making £1 worth €0.78353.
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