The FTSE 100 moved fractionally up this morning, cancelling out a small early decline.
The blue-chip index of London's top 100 shares rose 12.5 points to 5540.6, a small increase of 0.2%, having dipped as low as 5496.9.
The fallers were dominated by the miners as metal prices weakened.
Kazakh miner Kazakhmys shed 3.3% or 44 points to £12.96 after reporting a 21% fall in first-half earnings per share.
The financial sector saw gains, tracking the US, where confidence grew that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will not need bailing out by the government.
HBOS was the top percentage gainer, up 5% to 308p, while Royal Bank of Scotland was up 3.3% to 229p.
BT lifted 3.1% to 170.4p after Goldman Sachs upped its rating from neutral to buy.
Premier Foods, the maker of Branston pickle and Hovis bread, was the biggest faller in the FTSE 250 – down 8% to 89.5p – dragged down by problems with its debt.
