Europe: Stocks open higher awaiting BoE rate call

[LONDON] European stock markets climbed at the open on Thursday (Mar 17), with investors widely expecting the Bank of England (BoE) to announce a third straight interest rate rise to combat decades-high UK inflation.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed 0.5 per cent to 7,330.57 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX index grew 0.4 per cent to 14,500.41 points and the Paris CAC 40 won 0.6 per cent to 6,628.88. The Bank of England announces its rate decision at 1200 GMT, a day after the Federal Reserve lifted US borrowing costs to combat soaring prices. AFP