UK shares rose as risk sentiment picked up after comments from President Donald Trump playing down Washington's trade war with Beijing, while a slew of earnings reports drove major share moves on both main indexes.
The FTSE 100 was up 0.1% and the FTSE 250 was 0.3% higher by 0721 GMT.
Trump on Tuesday described the conflict as "a little squabble" and said talks between the world's two largest economies had not collapsed.
Asia-focussed HSBC provided the biggest boost to the main index, up 0.6%.
"A series of comments and tweets from the President has markets behaving a little more sensibly, but risks still seem skewed to the downside until there is clarity and a (trade) deal," Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson said.
On an earnings-heavy day, tour operator TUI was the biggest blue-chip gainer. It rose 2.8% after in-line half-year results, while warning that lack of clarity over the status of its grounded Boeing 737 MAX planes could hit profits.
The world's biggest catering firm Compass Group added 2.4% after hiking its annual organic revenue growth forecast.
On the mid-cap index, lender CYBG recorded a steep rise after it swung to a first-half profit. Shares jumped 8.8% and were on track for their best day in more than three months.
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