Travel and tech head up the FTSE 100 leaderboard as the UK index of blue chip shares gain 0.3% to 6,588.
Led by microchip designer ARM (ARM) and travel agent TUI Travel (TUI), London and most of the rest of the European bourses are shaking off a weak lead from overnight trading, which saw modest declines across Japan, China and Australia.
Sterling trades a little weaker against the dollar at $1.5595 and yields on benchmark UK 10-year government bonds are a touch higher at 1.85% on a quiet day for corporate news and economic announcements.
Commodity-facing stocks are again the main laggards as West Texas Intermediate crude softens 0.7% to $41.93 a barrel.
Oil and gas support services outfit Weir (WEIR) and commodities trader Glencore (GLEN) are the biggest blue chip losers, down 0.9% and 1.1% respectively.
Luxury goods retailer Burberry (BRBY) adds 0.7% to £14.94 after a tough week on the back of China's surprise currency devaluation. The yuan rebounds a little in early trade against the dollar and buys around 15.64 cents, still comfortably lower than its start of the week level of 16.23 cents.
Stellar Diamonds (STEL:AIM) falls 33.9% to 0.38p after striking a deal to get $330,000 through the issue of loans notes and warrants to a German private equity group. It has had to borrow $45,000 from chairman Peter Daresbury for working capital pending cash from the German investor.
Bargain Booze shop operator Conviviality Retail (CVR:AIM) has secured a window until 4 September to try to finalise its reverse takeoverof drinks wholesaler Matthew Clark without any other parties muscling in. If the vendors decide to sell to a third party in this time frame, Convivality will get £1 million break fee; but it may have to pay the vendor the same amount if a deal can't be reached by 4 September. The shares remain suspended.
