By 9.17am, the index was 0.2 per cent higher at 4,202 with gains from miners offsetting losses from oil stocks.
Rio Tinto was 1.4 per cent higher at 1,911p and BHP Billiton gained 1.6 per cent to 1,307.50p.
Meanwhile banks held up with Lloyds Banking Group up 1.2 per cent to 66.90p, HSBC up 0.3 per cent to 507.90p and Royal Group of Scotland up 0.9 per cent to 37.99p. Barclays slipped 0.2 per cent to 292.50p.