At the close, the FTSE 100 index was 7.54 points higher at 5,530.04, another 16-month closing high.
"It looks like the big snowstorm has settled on the markets with investors hardly able to see where to go," said Mic Mills, a senior trader at ETX Capital. "Weak oils and an uncertain start on Wall Street were outweighed by rallies from miners and banks.
"But overall interest is fairly frozen ahead of Thursday's Bank of England rate decision and Friday's US jobs reports."
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European shares edged up to another 15-month closing high yesterday, with miners gaining, as data suggested economic recovery was continuing, albeit not dramatically.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares rose 0.1 percent to 1,061.57 points, its highest close since October 3, 2008.
The index rose 26 percent last year and has surged more than 64 percent since hitting a record low last March.
Data yesterday the US showed fewer jobs being lost, and growth in the services sector.
Miners rose as copper hit 16-month highs, and other metals gained. A weaker dollar helped to boost prices.
Anglo American, Antofagasta, Lonmin, Rio Tinto, Vedanta and Xstrata rose between 1.7 and 3.5 percent.
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Across Europe, the FTSE 100 index and France's CAC 40 ended the day 0.1 percent higher; Germany's DAX was flat.
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The Nikkei 225 Stock Average advanced 0.5 percent in Japan, where Kyodo News said the government will accept the resignation of Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii. Taiwan's Taiex Index climbed 1.4 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.6 percent.
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The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.9 percent. A China stock rally may fade from the second quarter as inflation triggers "significant policy tightening" by the government, Ma Jun, Deutsche Bank AG's Hong Kong-based China economist, wrote in a note to clients.
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Australia's benchmark advanced 0.15 percent (7.3 points) to 4,946.8.
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The Johannesburg All-Share Index was also up 81.49 points (0.29 percent) at 28,080.36.
