FTSE 100 close higher on Thursday

FTSE 100 Index, British benchmark stock market gauge, Thursday increased by 1.12 percent, or 77.95 points, to 7,015.36 points, as the easing concerns about Greece.

Greece repaid a loan installment worth 458 million euros (or 492 million U.S. dolallrs) to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday amidst ongoing efforts to reach a deal to unlock further vital international funding within the next fortnight.

Besides, a dovish minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve also helped to boost the index. Minutes showed several Fed officials thought that the U.S. central bank would be able to raise interest rates in June, but the others thought a rate hike wouldn't be warranted until later in the year. Some investors believed the time of first rate hike would be postponed to the late of this year.

Aberdeen Asset Management's share price increased by 4.23 percent, topped the gainers of the blue chips. CRH, Persimmon, HSBC Holdings and Burberry Group increased by 3.25 percent, 3.15 percent, 2.90 percent and 2.81 percent respectively.

Aggreko led the top losers of the blue chips with a share price drop of 3.26 percent, followed by Standard Life (1.78 percent), Shire (1.19 percent), BHP Billiton (1.09 percent) and Intertek Group (0.58 percent).

The index has gained 8.20 percent so far this year when measured in U.S. dollar. Endit