British stocks rose on Thursday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index up by 0.58 percent, or 42.85 points, to close at 7,396.98 points.

Micro Focus International, a British software and information technology business, soared 5.12 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. AstraZeneca and Fresnillo increased by 4.32 percent and 3.98 percent, respectively.

The major British bank Royal Bank of Scotland Group was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 1.39 percent. Royal Mail dropped 1.36 percent. Standard Chartered, a British multinational bank, fell 1.17 percent.