Miners help FTSE to rebound after four days of losses

(ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development. See the bottom of the report for more details)

* FTSE 100 index closes 0.7 pct higher

* Mining shares lead, track metals prices

* Housebuilders underperfom broader market

* Jimmy Choo (LSE: CHOO.L - news) shares soar after update

By Kit Rees and Atul Prakash

LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index rebounded on Wednesday as a rally in metals prices following a weaker dollar boosted basic resources stocks, although housebuilders came under pressure ahead of a vote on the country's European Union membership.

The UK mining index surged 4.3 percent after falling sharply in the previous sessions as prices of major industrial metals such as copper, aluminium and nickel rose 1.1 to 2.6 percent following a weaker dollar that made metals cheaper for holders of other currencies.

Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in Glencore (Xetra: A1JAGV - news) , Anglo American (LSE: AAL.L - news) , BHP Billiton, Antofagasta (Other OTC: ANFGF - news) and Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO.L - news) - the top five gainers in the benchmark FTSE 100 index - rose 3.9 to 6.5 percent.

"Miners seem to have temporarily bottomed out after recent sell-offs and further outperformance may be seen in the coming days due to their international focus," Jawaid Afsar, senior trader at Securequity, said.

"However a 'Brexit' will hit the entire UK stock market, including miners, in the near term. Investors might position in the coming days based on poll headlines."

Opinion polls have in the past few days shown unexpectedly strong support for leaving the European Union in a June 23 referendum, a step that could rock the EU, test the unity of the United Kingdom and unleash turmoil on global financial markets.

Housebuilders underperformed the broader market on concerns that if Britons vote to leave the union, the housing sector would be hit hard.

Berkeley fell 1.2 percent, also after reporting a 20 percent drop in reservations of new homes at the start of the year, while Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW.L - news) was 1.4 percent.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed 0.7 percent higher at 5,966.80 points after falling in the previous four sessions to its lowest level since late February on Tuesday.

Outside of the blue chips, mid-cap Jimmy Choo soared 13.8 percent following a well-received update.

"Today's Q1 update suggests that the Jimmy Choo brand is showing resilience in a difficult market," Tom Gadsby, analyst at Liberum, said. Liberum upgraded its rating on the stock to "buy" from "hold" .

Software (EUREX: 1625887.EX - news) maker Aveva Group (Other OTC: AVEVF - news) , however, slumped 12 percent after ending preliminary deal talks with Schneider Electric. ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon (see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development). In a real-time, multimedia format from 0600 London time through the 1630 closing bell, it will include the best of our market reporting, Stocks Buzz service, Eikon graphics, Reuters pictures, eye-catching research and market zeitgeist. Breaking news and dramatic market moves will continue to be alerted to all clients and we will continue to provide a short opening story and comprehensive closing reports.

If you have any thoughts, suggestions or feedback on this, please email mike.dolan@thomsonreuters.com.

Mike Dolan, Markets Editor EMEA. (Editing by Alison Williams)