European stocks soar, with healthcare sector leading gains

European stocks rose at the opening today, Friday, supported by gains led by the health care sector, at the end of a week full of monetary policy decisions in central banks.

By 0717 GMT, the European Stoxx 600 index rose 0.2 percent, and the health care sector index rose 0.5 percent.

According to “Reuters”, the STOXX 600 index ended lower on Thursday after the European Central Bank raised lending costs and waved greater tightening of monetary policy in an attempt to control persistent inflation, a day after the US central bank suspended interest rate hikes.

In contrast, the Bank of Japan maintained its ultra-loose monetary policy on Friday despite stronger-than-expected inflation.

The interest-sensitive technology sector index fell 0.1 percent

Shares in Travis Perkins, the largest British building materials company, fell 7.4 percent, to become at the bottom of the Stoxx 600 index, after the company said that profits would be affected by difficulties in the local housing market.