The top-share index came close to notching up a three figure gain as hopes rose of a settlement in the interminable Greek debt negotiations.
Reports suggested that the latest Greek proposals could contain €12 billion in tax rises and spending cuts.
Analysts said creditors were likely to welcome the news, but noted that such reforms were greater than those rejected by Greek voters in last Sunday's referendum.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Federal Reserve backed debt restructuring for Athens, increasing pressure on other creditors to soften their stance.
The Bank of England (BoE) kept interest rates on hold at 0.5%, to no one’s great surprise.
Howard Archer at economic researchers IHS Global Insight said the Bank was unlikely to have hiked rates so soon after the government's Budget on Wednesday.
All but seven FTSE 100 stocks made headway, propelling the index 91 points higher to 6,594.
Primark owner Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) was the best performing blue-chip, hardening 150p to 3,080p, as its retail division reported strong European trading.
Barratt Developments (LON:BDEV) was 26p higher at 620.5p as it forecast a 45% rise in annual profits. That helped soften the blow of changes to tax relief for buy-to-let mortgage holders announced in yesterday’s budget, and house builders were, in any case, back in favour, with Taylor Wimpey (LON:TW.) and Persimmon (LON:PSN) up 4.84% and 4.2% respectively.
Further down the food chain, shares in 7digital (LON:7DIG) rose more than 12% on news that a switch in focus to technology licensing was resulting in higher margin earnings.
After Tuesday’s trading update, John Cronin, executive chairman of the wireless metering specialist Cyan (LON:CYAN), upped his stake in the company to 2.35%, with the purchase of 54.5mln shares at 0.1827p a throw.
Simon Smith, chief financial officer, bought 27.5mln shares at 0.189p a pop to raise his stake to 1.58%, and investors jumped on board with him, pushing the share price up 18.6%.
On the downside, Beowulf Mining (LON:BEM), the iron ore mine developer, saw its shares tumble 0.78p to 1.4p after the company issued shares at 1.25p each, raising £650,000 in the process.