European shares edge higher at open, defensive healthcare stocks up

European shares opened higher on Friday as gains were led by defensive healthcare stocks at the end of a week dominated by major central bank policy decisions. The continent-wide European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2% at 0717 GMT, with the healthcare index up 0.5%.

European shares opened higher on Friday as gains were led by defensive healthcare stocks at the end of a week dominated by major central bank policy decisions.

The continent-wide European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2% at 0717 GMT, with the healthcare index up 0.5%. The STOXX 600 had ended Thursday lower after the European Central Bank (ECB) raised borrowing costs and signalled more policy tightening in its fight against sticky inflation, a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish pause.

In contrast, the Bank of Japan maintained ultra-easy monetary policy on Friday despite stronger-than-expected inflation, signalling it will remain a dovish outlier among global central banks. Rate-sensitive technology shares dipped 0.1%.

Shares of Britain's biggest supplier of building materials Travis Perkins slid 7.4% to the bottom of the STOXX 600 after it warned profit would be hit by difficulties in the country's housing market.