The FTSE 100 rose slightly on Tuesday despite lingering debt concerns in Europe and as data showed that China overtook Germany last year to become the world's biggest exporting nation.

In midday trade, the index of leading shares climbed by 0.16 percent to 5,100.66 points

Europe's main markets had risen on Monday after a week of sharp losses last week over fiscal problems in Greece, as well as similar problems in Portugal and Spain, prompting fears they would could have a knock-on effect and destabilise the global economic recovery.