London stocks closed just higher on Thursday, bolstered by a bigger-than-expected drop in new US unemployment claims and the prospect of a huge Glencore-Xstrata mining merger.

London equities ended higher on Wednesday after positive Chinese economic data helped to offset concerns over dragging talks on a crucial Greek debt write-down deal.

London equities ended slightly higher on Tuesday, recovering some of the ground lost the previous day on hopes for progress in Greek debt talks after EU leaders agreed to rein in budget deficits.

London shares ended in the red on Monday as investors waited in hope for progress at a key EU summit on stabilising the eurozone and restoring growth.

London shares ended in the red on Friday as concerns resurfaced over Greek debt and the US issued disappointing growth data.

London shares rallied on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve vowed to keep interest rates near zero for at least the next two years and investors waited on Greek debt talks.

London shares ended lower on Wednesday as investors digested news that Britain was dangerously close to recession while the eurozone crisis showed no signs of abating.

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - International firms are spending more time at the highest levels discussing how to hedge currency risk, particularly euro-denominated earnings and transactions, in readiness for a worst case scenario of a euro zone breakup.

London shares ended slightly lower on Tuesday after eurozone finance ministers heaped pressure on Greece to get its fiscal house in order as a debt deal hung in the balance.

London shares closed with slight gains on Monday as investors waited for a firm outcome to a Greece debt deal following an upbeat German bond auction.

The euro hit a two-week high against the dollar on Friday before falling back, as talks stuttered between Greece and creditors offering to write-down some of the country's debt.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar's many detractors may have missed it, but the much-maligned U.S. currency is on rise.

London shares closed flat on Thursday following positive government bond sales by France and Spain despite last week's downgrades for the eurozone countries.

London shares closed flat on Wednesday as positive economic data in the United States offset eurozone debt worries, dealers said.

Stocks in London closed higher Monday after on news of upbeat economic data in Asian powerhouse China and surging investor confidence in the eurozone's leading economy Germany.

Stocks in London closed higher on Monday after shrugging off the effects of downgrades to nine eurozone countries by the international ratings agency Standard and Poor's.

Stocks in London took a hit on Friday amid widespread reports of an imminent downgrade for France by ratings agency Standard and Poor's.

LONDON (Reuters) - "The Old Lady just bought half a yard of cable and there are plenty of bids for Bill and Ben."

LONDON (Reuters) - "The Old Lady just bought half a yard of cable and there are plenty of bids for Bill and Ben."

London's main stock market closed in the red on Wednesday investors expressed unease at the massive bank liquidity injection offered by the European Central Bank.