The FTSE opened more than 30 points higher Tuesday thanks in part to an 11% share price jump for builders' supplier Wolseley.
The FTSE was up 27.5 points (0.5%) to 5271.63 points, buoyed by gains among mining firms.
Barclays jumped 8% in early trade after posting bumper annual profits, helping the FTSE to a 1.2% gain.
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.
Financials and British Airways pushed the FTSE slightly higher this morning.
The FTSE 100 opened flat Tuesday after a slump in financial stocks sent the Dow Jones to its first close below 10,000 in three months.
UK insurer Standard Life leads the gains this morning despite reporting a fall in life and pensions sales in 2009.
The FTSE fell in early trading, dragged down by negative market sentiment towards resources firms.
The FTSE 100 opened lower, down 39.78 points or 0.76% to 5220 over worries about global growth following announcements in China and the US.
UK pharmaceuticals rose in early trading after speculation mounted President Barrack Obama's healthcare reforms could be thwarted by the Republicans.