Britain's FTSE rallies though miners lag

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* FTSE 100 up 0.4 pct

* Healthcare stocks among top gainers

* Admiral Group (LSE: ADM.L - news) rises after upgrade

* Miners fall on disappointing results

By Kit Rees

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - UK shares advanced on Wednesday, supported by recent currency weakness and gains in healthcare stocks, though miners fell after updates from Anglo American (LSE: AAL.L - news) and BHP Billiton (NYSE: BBL - news) .

The FTSE 100 index was up 0.4 percent at 6,723.05 points, on track for its fifth consecutive week of gains.

The rally was broad-based, with analysts citing weakness in sterling in the aftermath of Britain's June 23 Brexit vote as making dollar-earning companies on the internationally-focused FTSE 100 index more attractive.

Health stocks Shire (Xetra: S7E.DE - news) and Hikma both gained more than 1.7 percent.

"The health sector has been a traditional, defensive play. There is an element of nervousness creeping into the market currently regarding what the implications of the Brexit will be, so pharmaceuticals do present some form of a safe haven in terms of volatility," Jonathan Roy, advisory investment manager at Charles Hanover Investments, said.

The FTSE 350 Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology index has gained nearly 18 percent since the UK's vote.

Another riser was insurer Admiral Group, which gained 1.2 percent after UBS (LSE: 0QNR.L - news) upgraded its rating on the stock to "buy" from "neutral", citing potential for growth in the company's home, international insurance and international price comparison units.

"UK car insurers have been the best performing sub-sector in 2016, re-rating due to defensive characteristics, yield attractions and a rising rate environment," analysts at UBS said in a note.

"We now expect greater appreciation of the growth opportunity, ultimately driving near term earnings surprises and further multiple expansion."

Mining stocks were the top fallers after disappointing updates from Anglo American and BHP Billiton, which fell 7.1 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.

The FTSE 350 Mining index dropped 2.2 percent, putting it on track for its fourth session of straight losses.

"There is a good chance the earnings downgrade cycle may be over for the resources sector with commodity prices regaining strength and demand fundamentals looking slightly better," Russ Mould, AJ Bell investment director, said in a note.

Outside of the blue chips, Electrocomponents (LSE: ECM.L - news) jumped 7.5 percent after a well-received trading update, though MAN (Swiss: MAN.SW - news) Group, the world's biggest listed hedge fund, was down 4.5 percent after the surprise departure of CEO Emmanuel 'Manny' Roman.

(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)