BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks edged higher on Thursday as investors kept a close eye on escalating Middle East tensions and awaited the European Central Bank's (ECB) rate decision for direction.
To address rising inflationary pressures, the ECB is likely to raise its deposit facility rate by 25 bps to 2.25 percent and the main refinancing rate by 25 bps to 2.40 percent.
ECB Chief Christine Lagarde will hold the customary press conference to discuss the policy decision and address market questions at 8.45 am ET.
In economic releases, a survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed that the U.K. house price balance was unchanged from the previous month at -35 percent in May, but some measures showed signs of stabilization in the property market.
The pan-European STOXX 600 rose half a percent to 621.20 after finishing marginally lower on Wednesday.
The German DAX was marginally higher, France's CAC 40 gained 0.4 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.6 percent.
Tech stocks traded higher, with Infineon rising 2 percent, ASM International surging 4.2 percent and BE Semiconductor climbing more than 5 percent after Oracle announced record Q4 and FY26 results.
UniCredit gained about 1 percent, a day after Commerzbank said that no institutional investors have tendered shares into the Italian bank's takeover offer.
Hugo Boss shares soared 7.7 percent after the U.K.'s Frasers Group launched a voluntary public takeover offer for the German fashion brand.
British health and safety device maker Halma plummeted 15 percent after issuing disappointing guidance for the year ahead.
Self-storage operator Safestore Holdings fell more than 2 percent after first-half operating profit declined 52.8 percent.
Budget carrier Wizz Air Holdings jumped 5.3 percent after reporting annual operating profit well above market expectations.
Ryanair Holdings fell nearly 1 percent as the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the company over charges it imposed on parents to sit next to their child on flights.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
