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Last week, the index was stuck below the psychologically important level, but reopened more than 20 points higher to 4004.40 after the bank holiday weekend.
Better-than-expected financial results from US-based bank Goldman Sachs gave the financial sector a boost, with Barclays seeing its share prices rise by over 16 per cent after it emerged it could sell its Barclays Global Investors asset management arm.
Richard Hunter, head of UK equities at Hargreaves Lansdown, told Reuters: "It has been fairly sluggish start."
"The banking sector looks reasonably perky this morning. There are still concerns over corporate earnings."
Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Scotland gained nearly eight per cent, while Lloyds Banking Group increased by more than nine per cent.
Mining firm Xstrata was up by almost eight per cent to 617p per share, however British American Tobacco fell by almost three per cent.
Ireland's Iseq also increased by 2.2 per cent.
