BUZZ-UK miners: up on stronger copper

** Mining stocks among top risers on the FTSE, with BHP and Anglo American (LSE: AAL.L - news) gaining 4 pct and 7 pct respectively

** Stoxx Basic Resources index up 3 pct on the day and down 13 pct YTD

** Traders see copper holding 4300 level, MACD also positive. Chart: http://reut.rs/1WA9Xjy

** Copper set for its biggest weekly gain since Oct; ECB stimulus hopes and China's Q4 property loan rise also positive

** London-listed mining companies have been hit by plummeting commodity prices, forcing them to slash jobs, costs, capital expenditure and dividends

** Other notable gainers: Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO.L - news) , Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO.L - news) (helped by Citi double upgrade ), Glencore (Amsterdam: GX8.AS - news) top performers on Britain's FTSE 100, all up between 1-4 pct

** Rio, BHP both among top 10 UK divi contributors in 2015 - but Rio increasingly seen as the default stock for income seekers amid concern over sustainability of BHP's long-protected dividend post Brazil dam burst

** Shore Capital reckons Rio far less likely to have to cut dividends than BHP - and as such flags Feb 2016 as the time to dip into Rio (co's FY results Feb 11)

(RM (LSE: RM.L - news) : aastha.agnihotri.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)