By Ovunc Kutlu
ISTANBUL (AA) - European stocks closed higher Thursday except in Germany.
The STOXX Europe 600, which includes around 90% of the market capitalization of the European market in 17 countries, rose 4.11 points, or 0.87%, to finish at 476.57.
The UK's FTSE 100 soared 100 points, or 1.33%, to end the session at almost 7,649 after the Bank of England held interest rates unchanged at 5.25% for the third consecutive time -- the highest level in 15 years.
The central bank ruled out a possible rate cut anytime soon and said interest rates need to remain high for "sufficiently long" to bring inflation down to the 2% target, while Governor Andrew Bailey said "there is still some way to go."
France's CAC 40, meanwhile, added 44 points, or 0.59% to 7,575 and Italy's FTSE MIB rose 63 points, or 0.21%, to close at 30,359.
Spain's IBEX 35 increased 75 points, or 0.75%, to end the day at 10,171.
Germany's DAX 30, on the other hand, fell 13 points, or 0.08%, to finish at 16,752.
The European Central Bank (ECB) also kept its interest rate unchanged Thursday and warned that inflation may "pick up again temporarily in the near term" despite its decline in recent months.
The central bank indicated that it will keep its monetary policy at "sufficiently restrictive levels as long as necessary."
ECB President Christine Lagarde later said there is "still work to be done" to lower inflation and added: "We should absolutely not lower our guard."