Morning Markets: Miners help FTSE to positive start

The FTSE is up 0.71% to 5,198.05 in early trading as it tries to shake off a wobbly performance yesterday as uncertainty about the Greek bail-out plan weighed on European markets.

A lack of detail on how a rescue plan would impact EU countries worried European companies yesterday, with banks including Lloyds and Barclays the worst performers. However, European markets appear to have recovered a little this morning with the German Dax up 0.97% to 5557.49, despite news Germany's recovery from recession faltered in Q4 last year.  The French Cac 40 is also higher in early trading to 3653.87 while the euro is gaining a little ground, up 0.52% to 1.15 to the pound. A strong performance by miners including Rio Tinto(up 2.58%), Xstrata(up 2.52%) and Antofagasta(up ...