The blue-chip FTSE 100 added 0.5pc, supported by broad gains in shares of heavyweight constituents such as Shell , healthcare firms AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline as well as HSBC.

However, commodities trader Glencore weighed as it fell 2.5pc and hit a near three-year low after an almost one-third drop in core profit.

The mid-cap FTSE 250 rose 0.6pc by 0748 GMT, helped by a post-earnings jump in Ultra Electronic and infrastructure products maker Hill & Smith.

"While markets in Europe appear to be finding a modicum of support after several days of declines, it remains to be seen whether this can be sustained when bond yields continue to sink and safe havens continue to see inflows," CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said.

The FTSE 100 has tumbled more than 5pc in just a week, after having gained in six of the first seven months of the year, following President Donald Trump's threat to slap a 10pc tariff on a further $300 billion in Chinese imports next month.

In news driven moves on Wednesday, valve maker Spirax-Sarco slid almost 7pc, on course for its worst day in more than 11 years, after it warned sales growth at its main business would more than halve in the second half of the year.

Asset manager Standard Life Aberdeen gave up 6.5pc despite an increase in first-half assets under management and administration.

On the mid-cap index, Hill & Smith surged 7.6pc, while Ultra Electronics also gained 5pc, after both firms posted higher half-year results.