Eurozone stocks rise at open, before ECB rate decision

Eurozone stock markets rose at the open Thursday awaiting the outcome of the European Central Bank’s latest monetary policy meeting.

Frankfurt’s DAX index gained 0.2 percent to 14,107.89 points and the Paris CAC 40 won 0.3 percent to 6,559.53.

Outside the eurozone, London’s FTSE 100 index dropped 0.3 percent to 7,556.69 points.

ECB policymakers meet Thursday faced with the challenge of threading a response between the eurozone’s record-high inflation and weak growth in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

While other major central banks have begun to raise interest rates to fight decades-high inflation, the ECB is sitting tight for now.