European Stocks Rise with Healthcare Sector Leading Gains

European stocks opened higher on Friday, supported by gains led by the healthcare sector at the end of a week filled with monetary policy decisions from central banks. By 07:17 GMT, the European Stoxx 600 index rose by 0.2%, and the healthcare sector index increased by 0.5%. The Stoxx 600 index ended trading on Thursday down after the European Central Bank raised borrowing costs and hinted at further tightening of monetary policy in an attempt to control persistent inflation, following the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to pause interest rate hikes the day before.