European stocks mixed to higher ahead of ECB, BoE; Dax up 0.22%

Investing.com - European stocks were mixed to higher on Thursday, as markets awaited the outcome of montly policy meetings by the European Central Bank and the Bank of England later in the day.

During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 climbed 0.55%, France’s CAC 40 advanced 0.40%, while Germany’s DAX 30 added 0.22%.

The ECB was not expected to announce any changes to monetary policy on Thursday.

Investors remained cautious ahead of comments from ECB President Mario Draghi at the bank’s post-policy meeting press conference, amid concerns over the deteriorating economic outlook for the currency bloc and worries over the possible implications of the bailout deal for Cyprus.

Financial stocks were broadly higher, as French lenders Societe Generale and BNP Paribas climbed 0.82% and 1.17%, while Germany's Commerzbank jumped 1.06%.

Peripheral lenders added to gains, with Italian banks Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit advancing 0.66% and 1.17% respectively, while Spain's BBVA and Banco Santander rallied 0.71% and 1.14%.

Elsewhere, Nokia surged 2.75% after the company and Airtel announced a partnership agreement across Africa to drive closer collaboration and deliver increased consumer value.

In London, FTSE 100 slipped 0.14%, ahead of the BoE's upcoming policy statement.

Financial stocks were mixed, as shares in HSBC Holdings eased up 0.01% and the Royal Bank of Scotland inched 0.02% higher, while Lloyds Banking and Barclays declined 0.41% and 0.63% respectively.

Mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were on the upside, gaining 0.45% and 0.74%, while rivals Evraz and Eurasian Natural Resources soared 2.24% and 8.15% respectively.

Copper producers Xstrata and Kazakhmys added to gains, with shares rallying 1.74% and 4.85%.

In the U.S., equity markets pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.28% rise, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.30% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.23% gain.

Also Thursday, the Bank of Japan, under newly appointed Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, said it plans to double its asset purchase program over the next two years and extend the maturities of the bonds it purchases.

Later in the day, Spain was to hold an auction of 10-year government bonds, while the U.S. was to release the weekly government report on initial jobless claims.