MW: European markets hold gains after ECB hikes rates
By Simon Kennedy
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets held on to their gains Thursday after the European Central Bank, as expected, increased its key rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 1.5%. The move came after the Bank of England earlier left rates unchanged. The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.43% was up 0.5% at 276.06, the U.K. FTSE 100 index UK:UKX +0.45% rose 0.5% to 6,030.32, the French CAC 40 index FR:PX1 +0.48% climbed 0.6% to 3,983.17 and the German DAX 30 index DX:DAX +0.41% was up 0.5% at 7,468.32.
