Europe's Stocks Rise as Oil Prices Continue to Fall

European shares rose on Thursday as crude oil prices continued to fall and a global bond selloff paused. The pan-European STOXX 600 index climbed 0.5% to 640.37 points at 0805 GMT, with most regional bourses following suit.

The Federal Reserve's interest rate hike on Wednesday was widely anticipated, but the decision still had an impact on global markets. Travel stocks and technology stocks were among the top gainers, up 0.8% each.

However, European energy stocks dipped 0.2% as oil prices extended losses for a second session due to reports of Saudi Arabia offering extra crude cargoes through Oman. Sodexo gained 3.2% after J.P.Morgan upgraded its rating on the French caterer.