At high noon, the FTSE100 was up 37.96 points at 5,680.58 with the FTSE250 ahead 59.2 points at 10,063.4 and the FTSE Smallcaps 3.81 points better at 2,878.6.

NEW YORK

US stock futures suggest a quiet start, investors cautious ahead of quadruple witching.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were little changed, S&P500 futures fell less than a point at 1,161 and Nasdaq 100 futures lost 1.5 points at 1,940.2.

LONDON MARKETS

A busy morning in London was inspired by an upbeat statement from Lloyds Banking Group. The bank said that it had seen a strong start to 2010 and believes that it will be profitable on a combined businesses basis in 2010.

Lloyds shares soared 5.4p (9.7%) at 60.95p in heavy volumes, with Royal Bank of Scotland jumping 2.42p at 44.42p, Barclays ahead 8p at 360.9p and HSBC 4.1p better at 685.1p. Asia-focused Standard Chartered moved up a more modest 1.5p at 1,773p.

Hedge fund manager Man Group recovered from recent doubts with a gain of 7.1p at 248.1p, while Schroders rose 31p at 1,407p and private equity group 3i added 3.4p at 292.1p.

Hopes of a US recovery after yesterday's pleasing economic data pushed metals prices higher, giving most of the miners a boost.