LONDON, July 29, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Europe's main stock markets rose at the start of trading Monday as investors look ahead to interest-rate decisions this week in the United States and Britain.

London's FTSE 100 index gained 0.5 percent to 8,325.83 points, with eyes on the Bank of England Thursday when it may cut borrowing costs for the first time since the Covid pandemic after a sizeable fall to British inflation this year.

Also this week, the Federal Reserve may signal that US interest-rate cuts on are the way following its latest regular monetary policy meeting, analysts said.

In the eurozone, where the European Central Bank has already started to cut rates, the Paris CAC 40 index advanced 0.1 percent to 7,528.09 points at the open Monday.

Frankfurt's DAX won 0.5 percent to 18,517.39.