The FTSE100 was up 29.5 points at 6,039.5 with the FTSE250 up 42.8 points at 9,939.1 and the AIM100 6.2 points higher at 6,402.9.
Volume was not too good with 1.82 billion shares changing hands in 231,138 deals.
The Bank of England kept its key rate unchanged at 4.50 % for the ninth month running following the latest Monetary Policy Committee.
Crude oil futures remained lower in afternoon deals, as Iran concerns took a back seat to supply data that showed the first increase in US gasoline supplies in nine weeks and placed crude inventories at their highest level in eight years. Crude for June delivery was last trading down $1.03 at $71.25 a barrel on Nymex.
UK oil stocks shrugged off weak crude prices however, edging higher on the back of a forecast busting first quarter set of results from Royal Dutch Shell.
Today’s look at individual Stocks:
Royal Dutch Shell's first-quarter earnings rose 12%, beating market expectations. The group's gains from sky-high oil prices more than compensated for the decline in the group's production. Net-income from the adjusted current cost of supply, rose to $6.088 billion from $5.455 billion, ahead of the consensus figure of $5.57 billion. Production fell 3% to 3.746 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) due to disruptions caused by the hurricanes at the Gulf of Mexico last year and the violent attacks by militants at its oil fields in Nigeria.
Our overall performance was satisfactory despite a series of operational challenges in the quarter, created by external factors in Nigeria and the Gulf of Mexico. Smooth start-ups in upstream and chemicals, combined with our strengthening portfolio and project progress, underscore our confidence for the future 
said CEO, Jeroen van der Veer.
Shell is aiming to pump between 3.5 million and 3.8 million boepd this year.
Elsewhere in the oil arena BP gained 4p at 681p, while BG Group added 3p at 747.5p.
British Airways shares welcomed a lower fuel price, gaining 6.75p at 334.75p, robust April traffic figures also helped. BA said its market conditions have not changed as it reported a 9.8% increase in April passenger traffic. In its initial reaction to the passenger numbers, Merrill Lynch noted that April's figures showed stronger load factors across all regions.
The mining sector once again provided the power for the FTSE rise this afternoon, with the sector bouncing back strongly from early losses (thanks to copper) which rose over 5% to a new record high.
Copper futures jumped over 5%, up 18 cents to $3.485 a pound on Nymex, supported by continuing geopolitical concerns and bullish comments overnight from mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.
BHP said prices are unlikely to fall until stocks rise from current levels, while Rio Tinto echoed the sentiment, saying it expects strong demand for its products and resulting high prices as global economic growth remains solid in 2006. Having both been in negative territory this morning on weak metal prices and a downgrade by ING, BHP Billiton rebounded to rise 27p to 1,175 and Rio Tinto gained 102p to 3,172.
Xstrata gained 100p to 2,130 and Kazakhmys climbed up 38p to 1,188, helped by bullish Deutsche Bank comments and a raised target of 1,235 pence.
Staying with the news, Rentokil Initial shares gained 3p at 157p following a first-quarter trading update in which Panmure Gordon noted 'encouraging signs'. Rentokil reiterated that it will not achieve growth before 2007 but will exit 2006 with a rising second-half trend, while noting that its pre-tax profit before ‘exceptionals’ in the first quarter fell 18.8%. In response to this, Panmure Gordon repeated its 'buy' rating, saying the statement showed signs that the group is turning the corner.
Hammerson shares also gained today up 18p at 969 after becoming the first UK-listed property company to announce that it will formally elect to transfer its entire UK portfolio into a tax efficient Real Estate Investment Trust vehicle next year. The news accompanied a positive trading update from the property blue chip, and spurred gains across the sector, with Land Securities up 43p to 1,888. British Land up 24p at 1,284. Liberty International up 4p at 1,136.
On the downside today, Unilever remained a casualty, with the shares dropping 17p to 558p after the group reported a broadly disappointing set of first-quarter numbers. Unilever reported a 9% rise in first-quarter revenue while operating margins fell by 0.2% due to increased spending on advertising and marketing. The news prompted WestLB to cut its rating to 'hold' from 'add'.
Shares in PartyGaming continued yesterday's weakness, down 1p at 147, dragging the online gaming sector lower as US anti-gaming lobbyists moved another step closer to their aim of banning the industry.
A US House of Representatives subcommittee voted yesterday to approve a bill that would ban Internet gambling and stop the business from accepting payment in the form of credit cards or Internet transfers. More control over us all.
