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According to Reuters, the index peaked at 5,103.44 points before dropping slightly to 5,099.15 at 09:49 BST - a 1.1 per cent rise on yesterday's close.
Tullow Oil led the increase, with its shares rising after announcing it has discovered oil off the coast of Sierra Leone.
According to market strategist Joshua Raymond, the commodity company's shares have now risen by seven per cent over the past two trading days.
"The find adds weight to Tullow Oil's presence in Africa and is helping to lift its share prices," he remarked.
A similar increase was seen on stock markets in the US and Asia after Ben Bernanke, chief of the US Federal Reserve, said it is likely that the recession is over.
Mr Raymond added that favourable US retail sales data also helped to lift the FTSE.
