UK shares added 1.16% to close higher on Wednesday as investors wait for a Fed announcement and of course any clue on an interest rate hike across the pond.
The UK benchmark finished the afternoon session at 6,631 - 76 points higher.
Currency analyst at DailyFx Christopher Vecchio said interestingly of the Fed's two day policy meeting and its close today.
" At this point in time, it's been priced in that the Fed won't be raising rates later today. Without pundits, or economists, or markets (via fed funds futures contract implied probabilities) pricing in a rate hike by any means, the FOMC's July policy meeting really is about the FOMC's September policy meeting.
"While the Fed is unlikely to pre-commit to policy action - Fed Chair Janet Yellen learned the kind of backlash that could whip up when she suggested last year that the first rate hike could come six months after QE purchases ended (the Fed didn't in the first half of this year, provoking a US Dollar correction at the start of Q2) - it's very possible that Fed policymakers take a hawkish approach at today's meeting."
In London, it was another results-driven day and among the risers was banking giant Barclays (LON:BARC), which added 1.79% after the troubled bank posted higher profits and said it was speeding up its shake-up.
The biggest gainer was Hikma Pharma, which added 3.71% to 2,407p after it was boosted by an upgrade from US broker Jefferies.
The broker raised its price target to 2,615p from 2,134p.
Sky (LON:SKY) had mixed trading but closed up 0.71% as the satellite broadcaster, which is under attack from rival BT, posted a 96,000 annual rise in broadband customers.
BP (LON:BP.) added 1.52% to 398.6p and Royal Dutch Shell (LON:RDSB) gushed 1.40% higher to 1,777p as US light crude rose 0.59p to US$47.98, although Brent crude was slightly down.
Fags maker British American (LON:BATS) was also puffing higher, up 3.63% as it posted a rise in first half profit.
Asian markets were volatile again overnight with declines in both Tokyo and Hong Kong. But US markets rose despite the ongoing pre-occupation with interest rates.
House-builder Taylor Wimpey (LON:TW.) added 1.48% to 185.4p as it unveiled a strong first half, improved consumer sentiment, but forecast a second half sales slowdown.
Portal Rightmove (LON:RMV), the online property specialist surged 5.43% to 3,574p as it revealed its improved customer base numbers.
Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK) was 3.46% higher at 1,374.5p on news that it had topped profit hopes despite lower sales of its lung drug Advair.
Electronics distributor Premier Farnell (LON:PFL) crashed almost 16% lower to 140p on a profit warning after a summer slowdown.