//
The index was up 0.1 per cent - or 4.81 points - by 12:15 GMT, Reuters reports, led by gains from mining firms.
Increases of between 1.8 per cent and 2.3 per cent were seen in Randgold Resources, Lonmin, Rio Tinto and Fresnillo stocks, while oil firms - such as BG Group, BP and Cairn Energy - were also higher as the price of crude held steady at around $82 (£55) per barrel.
However, gains on the index were limited by falls from banking and defensive stocks.
HSBC and Standard Chartered were both lower, while British American Tobacco was the biggest faller with a drop of four per cent.
According to Joshua Raymond of City Index, many investors have been "sitting on the sidelines and waiting for macro economic news to help dictate their next moves", meaning trading has been largely muted today.
Posted by Chris Weaver
