Major stock markets in Europe opened higher on Thursday as traders are waiting for the European Central Bank's (ECB) latest interest rates decision and Monetary Policy Statement. Earlier, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG reported an annual rise of 8% in its sales in the first half of the year, while Unilever PLC's underlying sales saw yearly growth of 5% in the second quarter.

The DAX traded 0.74%, or 114 points higher at the opening, as Heidelbergcement AG expanded by 1.80%. The FTSE 100 rose by 0.14%, with 3i Group PLC increasing by 3.18%. The CAC 40 gained 0.52% as Publicis Groupe SA went up by 3.18%.

The euro stood flat against the dollar, changing hands for $1.17960 at 8:57 am CET. At the same time, the pound sterling grew by 0.17% against the greenback to sell for $1.37364.