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The FTSE 100 built on its earlier gains to trade 1% higher by lunchtime at 6,472.51 with futures markets also pointing to a strong open on Wall Street.
Sportswear retailer JD Sports Fashion rallied 6.9% to 798.6p after the market embraced news that it had agreed to acquire American rival DTLR Villa for $495 million.
Originally named Downtown Locker Room, DTLR operated from 247 stores across 19 states, principally in the north and east of the US.
Low-cost carrier Ryanair was up 0.5% despite having swung to a deep third-quarter loss and cut annual passenger guidance, as the pandemic continued to hammer global travel markets.
Wealth manager Hargreaves Lansdown fell 5.1% to £16.22, having upped its interim dividend after reporting a 10% rise in first-half profit thanks to an influx of new business and ongoing market recovery.
Hargreaves Lansdown declared an interim dividend of 11.9p per share, up 6% year-on-year.
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca gained 0.3% to £75.16 after its Covid-19 vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, won conditional marketing authorisation in the European Union.
Commercial real estate company Land Securities rose 1.5% to 623.6p, even as it corrected its December-quarter office rent collection rate for the rest of Central London to 70%, from the previously stated 82%.
B2B information services provider Euromoney Institutional Investor added 2.6% to 979p on news that had acquired The Jacobsen, a price reporting agency, for $12.3 million.
The Jacobsen provided price assessments primarily in North American markets, including coverage of animal fats, feeds and vegetable oils.
Recruitment and training company Staffline dipped 1% to 56p, having forecast an underlying operating profit 'marginally ahead' of market expectations.
Video game developer Sumo firmed 3.4% to 364p following news that it had acquired Poland's PixelAnt Games for an initial £0.25 million, plus potential performance payments.