The FTSE 100 Index, Britain's benchmark stock market gauge, inched up by 0.03 percent, or 1.88 points, to close at 7,292.37 points on Thursday.

The share price of Anglo American increased by 5.90 percent, topping the gainers of the blue chips.

Mondi, Rio Tinto, Smurfit Kappa Group, and National Grid rose by 4.69 percent, 3.37 percent, 2.38 percent and 1.71 percent respectively.

Shire led the top losers of the blue chips with a share price drop of 5.78 percent, followed by easyJet (3.99 percent), Royal Bank of Scotland Group (3.57 percent), Hikma Pharmaceuticals (3.53 percent) and Associated British Foods (3.30 percent).