Investors on Thursday moved into risk-on mode on European stock markets, with banks and resources firms leading bourses higher, as hopes of central-bank interventions were high ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy meeting later in the day.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP rose 1% to 268.04.
Among notable movers in the index, Nokia Corp. NOK1V NOK fell 2.5%, adding to a 13% loss from Wednesday when the handset maker unveiled its newest Lumia smartphones. See: Nokia selloff takes shine off Lumia
Whitbread PLC WTB jumped 5.5% as the hotel and restaurant group reported that for the 11 weeks ended Aug. 16, total sales rose almost 15% while comparable sales advanced 4.2%.
All eyes were on central banks, however, with both the Bank of England and the ECB policy decisions in the spotlight. The main question is whether ECB President Mario Draghi will reveal details about the bond-buying plan he outlined last month.
A Bloomberg report showed Wednesday that unlimited, sterilized bond purchases were a possibility, but that such a plan would not include a public yield cap. See: Doubts remain whether ECB’s Draghi can deliver
The Bank of England is widely expected to leave its key interest rate unchanged at 0.5% and to not announce any additional bond purchases.
Resource firms, banks drive gains
Oil firms helped lift stock markets, tracking a rise in crude-oil prices. France’s Total SA FR TOT picked up 1.4%, buoying the CAC 40 index PX1 to a 0.8% gain at 3,433.46.
In the U.K., Royal Dutch Shell PLC RDSB RDS.B added 0.6% and BG Group PLC BG. took on 0.5%.
Mining firms were also on the rise, boosted by mostly higher metals prices. Rio Tinto PLC RIO RIO RIO rose 2.2%, BHP Billiton PLC BHPBLT BHP gained 1.9% and Anglo American PLC AAL ticked 1.9% higher.
The FTSE 100 index UKX rose 0.7% to 5,696.56.
Among German stocks, Merck KGaA MRK was one of the biggest advancers, up 1.6%.
Deutsche Bank AG DBK rose 1.4%. The DAX 30 index DAX traded 1% higher at 7,032.71.
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