The FTSE 100 Index closed above 6,500 for the first time since the start of 2008 today as the London market weathered fresh gloom from the eurozone.
The FTSE 100 Index managed to build on recent gains with an improvement of 20 points to 6,503.6, with figures showing lower unemployment in the US boosting sentiment.
Banks were lower after the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards kept up the pressure on the UK Government to enforce tougher leverage ratios, however.
The ongoing uncertainty over the rules likely to face the sector in the future meant Royal Bank of Scotland was 4.9p lower at 301.3p, Barclays slipped 7.1p to 311.5p and Lloyds Banking Group was down 0.1p at 50p.
Supermarket chain Morrisons moved in the opposite direction, up 5.5p to 268.5p, as investors geared up for the group’s full-year results later this week.
The biggest rise in the FTSE 250 Index came from Ladbrokes after it unveiled a deal with software firm Playtech to reinvigorate its digital arm. The bookmaker was 14.6p higher at 239.8p, a rise of 6%, while Playtech added 18.5p to 570p.
WH Smith was also on the front foot after it emerged that the stationery retail chain has seized on the opportunities presented by the collapse of HMV to stock up certain stores with leading DVDs and CDs. Shares were 28p higher at 733p.
The biggest FTSE 100 risers were Melrose Industries up 10.5p at 271.1p, Antofagasta ahead 26p at £10.95 and Weir Group up 58p at £24.74.
Among the biggest fallers were Evraz down 6.6p at 260.9p, Kazakhmys off 12p at 520.5p and Sage off 7.5p at 341.9p.
Barry Shepherd, of investment manager and financial planning specialist Brewin Dolphin in Aberdeen, highlighted Parkmead up 3.7% at 13.75p, while EnQuest moved 3% ahead at 140.45p.
Fallers included STV Group, which lost 1.96% at 146.875p, while SSE faded by 0.95% to £14.52.