//
The index was 48.61 points higher at 08:41 BST, Reuters reports, taking it to 4.845.36 points.
Randgold Resources rose 1.3 per cent in early trading following the news that the price of gold came close to $1,000 (£612) late yesterday, while miners BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Kazakhmys, Anglo American and Rio Tinto also climbed.
Vodafone rose 1.2 per cent after the Financial Times said that Deutsche Telekom has been in discussions with the firm regarding the sale of T-Mobile UK.
And jumps of between 1.6 per cent and 2.9 per cent were recorded by HSBC, Standard Chartered, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group.
During the morning session yesterday trading was flat, as the falls in energy and pharmaceutical stocks were largely cancelled out by gains within the commodities sector.
