The FTSE 100 opened higher in early trading by 20.32 points(0.39%) to 5231.50 as investors become more optimistic about prospects for a global recovery.
Their mood should be buoyed today by the release of US non-farm payroll data which is expected to show an increase of 513,000 jobs last month. This would mark the biggest monthly gain since September 1983.
Winners on the FTSE were headed by energy stocks with a near 4% gain for embattled BP. It was trading at 448p, up 16.65 (3.85%), following the news progress had been made to capture some of the oil from its ruptured sea well in Mexico. Elsewhere, Tullow Oil was trading at £11.66. up 18 points (1.57%).
The losers were dominated by British American Tobacco at £21.43, down 12 points (0.56%).
United Utilities Group also performed poorly at 559p, down 2.50 (0.45%), as its chief executive, Philip Green, today raised the spectre of more job cuts.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones closed higher for a second day at 10255.28, up 5.74 (0.06%). It was the first back to back advance for the index since April.
Stocks climbed on reports business at US service companies grew in May and the number of people seeking first-time jobless claims slipped for a second week running.
The gains faded at times as the day wore on, but stocks recovered by the close as traders looked to the Labour Department's May jobs report today.
Heading up the winner's board was Microsoft Corp closing at $26.86, up 0.40 (1.51%). Elsewhere Coca-Cola, the largest beverage company in the world, came in third place as shares climbed 0.65% to $52.75.
The losers were headed up by Home Depot Inc at $33.43, down 0.44 (1.30%) while JPMorgan Chase & Co. lost more than 1.1% to close at $39.10.
In Asia, the Nikkei inched down on Friday to 9901.19, a fall of 13 points (0.13%), as Japan's ruling party picked finance minister Naoto Kan, viewed by some as a proponent of a weaker yen, as the country's new prime minister.
