LONDON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- British stocks rose on Thursday, with the benchmark FTSE 100 Index up 42.11 points or 0.57 percent at 7,421.43 points.

Evraz, the international mining group, soared 6.62 percent, the top gainer of the blue chips. Melrose Industries and United Utilities Group rose by 4.17 percent and 3.19 percent, respectively.

Direct Line Insurance Group, a British insurance company, was the worst performer in the blue chips, with its shares losing 1.49 percent. Taylor Wimpey, a British housebuilding company, dropped 1.45 percent. Barclays, the major British bank, dropped 1.41 percent. Enditem