EUROPEAN markets were on the front foot today amid hopes that EU leaders will agree a rescue deal for debt-laden Greece.

The FTSE 100 Index was 62.5 points higher at 5194.9, while the Dax and Cac 40 posted gains in the region of 1%.

Spirits were lifted by mining firms after Rio Tinto recorded a 33% increase in net profit for 2009 due to record sales of iron ore and an increase in copper and gold production.

Rio shares jumped 139.5p to 3279p, a gain of 4%, while Xstrata lifted 42p to 1055p and Antofagasta added 31.5p to 878p.

The biggest fall of the session came from BT after it outlined the massive payments needed over 17 years to correct a £9 billion pension scheme deficit.

Shares slumped 6%, down 7.7p to 123.7p, even though third quarter results showing an 11% increase in underlying earnings to £1.44 billion met City hopes.

Outside the top flight, shares in Sports Direct International jumped almost 7% after it raised earnings guidance for the year to April - the second time it has done so in the last two months. With Competition Commission officials also clearing its acquisition of 31 JJB stores, shares rose 6.4p to 103.4p.