FTSE rises as shares in Dixons Carphone climb on Sprint deal

(Close): The FTSE 100 closed higher with shares in Dixons Carphone boosted by news of its tie-up with US mobile firm Sprint.

Dixons Carphone rose 1.2% after it signed a deal with Sprint that could result in it opening up to 500 stores in the US.

By midday, the FTSE 100 index was up 22.86 points at 6,631.45.

Europe saw modest gains earlier before shedding those as investors awaited the latest developments in Greece.

In London, shares in housebuilder Persimmon dipped 0.2% initially but closed up 0.4% after it said revenues in the first half of the year had risen by 12% to £1.34bn.

The firm said demand for homes was being supported by an "increasingly competitive mortgage market".

Shares in outsourcing company Serco continued to rise following its comments on Wednesday that it was still on track to meet full-year profit and sales targets. After rising 6.5% in the previous session they were up a further 11%.

On the currency markets, the pound fell 0.3% against the euro to €1.4079 and was flat against the dollar at $1.5611.