Footsie set to climb above 4700 again

The Footsie index of 100 leading stocks is up 33 points by mid-morning at 4696.4, and looking set to close above the 4700 mark for the first time for four days.

After tumbling as low as 58.6 points early on, blue-chip stocks are regaining their composure - boosted by a strong showing by the German DAX stock market and forecasts of slight gains after the opening bell on Wall Street.