European stock markets rise at start

Europe's main stock markets rose as the start of trading on Thursday as investors weighed up huge US spending proposals and a renewed lockdown in France.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 0.4% to 6 741.47 points.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index won 0.3% to 15 045.49 points and the Paris CAC 40 advanced 0.2% to 6 080.07.

The World Health Organization on Thursday slammed Europe's "unacceptably slow" vaccine rollout and said the region's surge in coronavirus infections was "worrying".