(Close): The FTSE 100 ends higher boosted by mining shares and another positive opening for US shares.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 27.33 at 6707.88 points, with Rangold Resources up 2.7%.
Slightly better-than-expected retail sales figures helped to lift the pound against the dollar above $1.59 earlier.
Later it lost most of its gains to end up 0.3% against the dollar at $1.5884. However, against the euro the pound lost 0.28% to €1.3925.
In the FTSE 100, a rise in mining company shares was offset by a number of firms going ex-dividend.
Among those going ex-dividend, shares in Severn Trent fell 2.88% and 3i Group was down 3%.
In the FTSE 250, Poundland shares were hit after it reported slowing sales growth. Its shares were down 5% at one point, before regaining some ground to end down 3.4%.
Sales on a constant currency basis grew 4.1% in the 11 weeks to 14 June, slowing from a 7.1% growth rate in the fourth quarter of the 2014-15 year.
The sales slowdown overshadowed news of a rise in full-year profits, with underlying profits climbing 18.6% to £43.7m.
