Blue-chip shares were back in positive territory today after steep losses earlier in the week left the FTSE 100 Index at levels not seen since June last year.
The top-flight endured a 180-point fall on Wednesday and a further though less drastic slide the next day to close below 6200 points.
But the end of the turbulent week saw the sell-off peter out with the FTSE 100 climbing 54.5 points to 6250.4.
IG market analyst Alastair McCaig said: “Equity markets are behaving in a considerably calm and more calculating manner.”
Financial stocks have taken a battering in recent days but were leading the top-flight higher, with Aviva up 12.2p to 488.3p, Barclays up 4p to 211.9p, and Lloyds Banking Group ahead 1.3p to 73.6p.
Meanwhile, Prudential lifted 7.2p to 1328.8p and Royal Bank of Scotland added 3.8p to 341.5p.
Oil prices, which have seen a dramatic slide, also picked up, with Brent crude heading up towards 87 US dollars a barrel after dropping to below 83 US dollars in the previous session.
It helped heavyweight Royal Dutch Shell lift 32.5p to 2192.5p and BP improve by 4.2p to 424.2p. Tullow Oil was the biggest climber on the FTSE 100, adding 6%, or 30.1p, to 514p.
Rolls-Royce was the leading faller as the deteriorating economic conditions behind the recent slump in stock markets were blamed by the engines giant for a downgrade to its sales and profits guidance in 2015.
The company previously ruled out growth this year due to defence spending cuts but now expects that profits in 2015 will also be up to 3% lower.
It said a number of customers had delayed or cancelled orders, particularly in its nuclear and energy and power systems businesses. Shares fell 15%, or 140.5p, to 800p.
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