The FTSE 100 followed global markets higher today, up 1.5% to around 6,176 by late morning.
Its strong run came after US markets rallied yesterday, with the Dow Jones closing up 1.8% at 16,351. Investors were buoyed by the release of a Federal Reserve report showing the US economy had expanded across most regions and industries in July and August.
Japan's Nikkei rose for the first time in four days yesterday, up 0.5% to 18,182, as bargain-hunters moved in.
However, a three-day drop in the Australian stock market - driven by weakness in Chinese manufacturing data and falls in Asian currencies - pushed the MSCI's index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 0.2%.
China's stock markets will be closed today as the country commemorates the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
In the UK, Easyjet is the FTSE's biggest winner so far today, up 5.6% to 1,766p, after the airline raised its full-year profit forecast to £675m-£700m following a better-than-expected August, which saw it carry just over seven million passengers.
Meanwhile, commodities giant Glencore has rebounded 4.9% to 128.8p. This comes despite credit rating agency Standard & Poor's cutting its outlook on the company from stable to negative after it posted a 29% fall in first-half earnings last month.
On Tuesday, Glencore was among several mining companies, including BHP Billiton and Anglo American, in the bottom five losing stocks on the FTSE 100.
