The FTSE 100 Index hit fresh record highs today despite jitters over the eurozone as buoyant mining stocks lifted London's top-flight.
It closed 15.2 points higher at 7037.7 building on last Friday's buoyant session when the index topped 7,000 for the first time, with markets lifted by the prospect of US and UK interest rates remaining lower for longer.
The index was able to shrug off worries over the eurozone debt crisis that had weighed on the market earlier in the session, as Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arrived in Berlin for crunch talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
A letter reportedly written by Mr Tsipras to the Chancellor raised concerns about its ability to meet debt obligations due in coming weeks.
Mr Tsipras said it would be "impossible" for Athens to meet them if the EU failed to distribute any short-term financial assistance to the country, according to the Financial Times.
The worries sent both Germany's Dax and France's Cac 40 sharply lower. New York's Dow Jones Industrial Average edged higher.
Meanwhile, the pound took a hit against the euro after CBI manufacturing figures showed a sharp decline in export orders in March.
Sterling was a cent lower against the single currency at just under 1.37 though it was little changed against the under-pressure US dollar at 1.49.
The FTSE 100 was lifted by rising metal prices that helped commodities giants post gains. BHP Billiton was up 52p to 1591, Antofagasta lifted 12.5p to 727p and Randgold Resources was 60p higher at 4935p.
Asian focused banking giant Standard Chartered was the biggest riser in the top flight following a series of analyst upgrades which have seen it return to favour after the appointment of new chief executive Bill Winters. Shares rose 6%, or 69.5p, to 1141p.
Engineering company Weir Group was one of the largest fallers and was down 40p, or 2.2 per cent, to 1,801p after brokers at RBC downgraded it to "sector perform" from "top pick", and cut its price target to 1,850p from 2,150p.
Elsewhere Halfords shares were down after it poached McDonalds UK boss Jill McDonald to become its new chief executive, replacing Matt Davies, who has been lured to Tesco to become boss of its UK operations.
Shares have lifted two-thirds since Mr Davies, who has overseen a turnaround in its fortunes, joined in 2012. They slipped 1.3p to 452.2p today.
Meanwhile, South West Water owner Pennon cheered investors as it announced a continuation of its dividend policy of year-on-year growth of 4% above Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation to 2019/20.
Shares rose 2%, or 19p, to 849.5p.
The biggest risers in the FTSE 100 Index were Standard Chartered up 69.5p at 1141p, BHP Billiton up 52p at 1591, Glencore up 7.8p at 307.1p and Royal Dutch Shell up 44p at 2215p.
The biggest fallers in the FTSE 100 Index were Burberry down 48p at 1828p, GKN down 8.3p at 367.3p, Weir Group down 40p at 1801p and Shire down 120p at 5565p.
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