British News Agency

The pan-European Stoxx 600 was up 0.35 percent by 9:57 a.m. London time, with all sectors and major bourses trading in positive territory. Autos led gains, up 1.17 percent, while construction and materials stocks were also 0.8 percent higher.

Shares of French financial services firm Worldline plunged more than 16 percent after it announced the departure of its CEO and adjusted in full-year guidance amid what it said were “slower trading conditions.”

The European Central Bank slashed rates as expected on Thursday, marking its second 25-basis-point cut this year and bringing its key interest rate to 3.5 percent.

Policymakers gave little indication on the course for monetary policy, but President Christine Lagarde said the bank was not “pre-committing to a particular rate path.”

The ECB’s meeting comes just days ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Sept. 17-18 meeting, at which it’s expected to begin its own rate-cutting cycle.

U.S. stock futures were little changed overnight after the S&P 500 notched its fourth-straight winning session.

Asia-Pacific markets, meanwhile, were mixed, as mainland Chinese markets rebounded from a six-year low and Australian markets near an all-time high.

Back in Europe, inflation data is due out of France on Friday. There are no corporate earnings.