UK stocks hit record high; eurozone markets advance

The British stock market rallied Thursday to a record peak, propelled by optimism over the government's budget and after the US Federal Reserve cooled rate hike expectations. Most eurozone stock markets edged higher but Athens fell sharply as investors awaited an EU summit for fresh news on the Greek debt crisis. In morning deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index soared to a record-high 6,982.79 points, building on gains won the previous day after the British government's upbeat