Global Market: European shares advance as investors await Bank of England decision

European shares edged higher on Thursday as easing crude oil prices and a pause in the global bond selloff improved risk appetite following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s widely anticipated interest rate hike.

The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.5% to 640.37 points by 0805 GMT, while Germany’s DAX also gained 0.5%, according to Reuters.

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Travel and technology stocks led the gains, rising 0.8% each. Travel shares tracked a decline in oil prices, while technology stocks were supported by gains in Nemetschek and ASML.

European energy stocks slipped 0.2% as oil prices extended losses for a second consecutive session. Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia was offering additional crude cargoes through Oman, although oil prices remained above $100 a barrel.

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Among individual stocks, Sodexo advanced 3.2% after J.P. Morgan upgraded its rating on the French catering company to "overweight" from "neutral".

Bilfinger fell sharply, declining 24.2%, after the German industrial services group cut its 2026 outlook for the second time.

Market attention was shifting to the Bank of England, which was widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged later on Thursday. The move follows the Federal Reserve’s decision on Wednesday to raise its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points and signal further increases in the coming months.

The Fed’s decision had been broadly expected, while its projections pointed to additional monetary tightening as policymakers continue to focus on inflation.

Global government bond yields were largely flat to lower in early trading on Thursday, after rising to multi-month highs earlier this month. The pause in the bond selloff provided some relief to equity markets, while investors assessed the outlook for interest rates and inflation.

According to the report by Reuters, the combination of softer oil prices and a stabilisation in bond markets was helping support sentiment across European equities, despite expectations of continued monetary policy tightening.