(MENAFN- ProactiveInvestors - UK) The FTSE 100 took a forward step on Thursdays open albeit a small one to remain close to the new highs for 2016.
London's blue chip benchmark start as high as 6425 before easing to about 6410 by 8:30am.
Oil prices at around US$45.80 (Brent) remain supportive of equity markets.
Anglo American was in focus in early deals rising 2% to 809p as the miner revealed its iron ore operation in Brazil nearly trebled output. Fellow miners Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) and BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) followed closely behind.
FTSE 100 seen higher as equities stay close to 2016 highs - 7:00am
The FTSE 100 is expected to begin Thursday on the front foot seen slightly higher about an hour ahead of the open in London.
Strengthening oil prices - Brent was up about 4% to US$45.85 - has helped keep equities close to current year highs.
Wall Street ended Wednesday positively. The Dow Jones was up 42 points 0.24% closing at 18096 while the S&P 500 just about edged into plus territory to end the day at 2102 and the Nasdaq was also a shade higher at 4948.
In Asia Japan's Nikkei rose 2.4% to 17309 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 1.6% to 21575.
The Shanghai composite meanwhile was essentially flat at 2974.
Australia's ASX 200 was up 085% to 5261.
In London spreadbetting and CFD firm IG Markets sees the FTSE 100 moving up. Ahead of Thursday's open it calls the blue chip benchmark 12 points higher at 6425 to 6430.
Focus is expected to remain on commodity prices and the European Central Bank will also draw some investor attention as president Mario Draghi holds a press conference alongside the interest rate decision for April.
'The European Central Bank decision and press conference today may not be quite the event that it was in March but with the bazooka still warm following last month's antics Mario Draghi may instead see today as an opportunity to take some of the fizz out of the euro something he failed to do previously' Craig Erlam analyst at OANDA said in a note.
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