LONDON: European stocks markets rose on Thursday, as investors in London looked ahead to a monetary policy announcement from the Bank of England. Tokyo’s main index meanwhile tumbled in a choppy day for Asian stock markets ahead of key policy meetings in the United States and Japan next week. Traders worldwide are focusing on the central bank gatherings, hoping they will clear up some uncertainty about monetary policy in leading economies. On the corporate front Thursday, shares in French energy giant EDF fell 0.9 percent to 11.1 euros after Britain gave the go-ahead for the Hinkley Point power station. EDF’s board had already approved its participation in the China-backed project in southwest England, before the UK’s new Prime Minister Theresa May ordered a review. Around 1000 GMT, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 stocks index was up 0.3 percent, as traders reacted to better-than-expected UK retail sales data. In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 index gained 0.4 percent and the Paris CAC edged up 0.1 percent to 4,376.10 compared with the close on Wednesday. The Bank of England publishes Thursday the outcome of its latest monthly policy meeting, with markets widely expecting the BoE to sit tight after last month cutting its key interest rate to a record-low 0.25 percent to protect the economy from potential Brexit fallout. Ahead of the update, traders digested news that retail sales in Britain officially fell 0.2 percent in August from July, with no real indication that the Brexit vote outcome was hurting spending. In Japan on Thursday, reports that officials are considering cutting interest rates further into negative territory hammered share prices of financial firms. Tokyo’s Nikkei ended down 1.3 percent, with exporters also weighed by a pick-up in the yen as uncertainty over the impact of a possible new rate cut sent traders into safe havens. “Minus interest rates are supposed to make the yen weaker, but if the move triggers concerns over the potential negative impact on the overall economy, the yen could strengthen again,” said Naoki Fujiwara, chief fund manager with Shinkin Asset Management. On Wall Street, Apple shares surged Wednesday ahead of the launch of new iPhones, while the Dow fell on weakness among petroleum-linked shares.afp Tokyo stocks tumbled on Thursday in a choppy day for Asian stock markets ahead of key policy meetings in the United States and Japan next week. Traders worldwide are focusing on the central bank gatherings, hoping they will clear up some uncertainty about monetary policy in two of the world’s biggest economies. Equity markets have been hit by volatility the past week after two Federal Reserve officials suggested US borrowing rates could rise in September, before another colleague on Monday urged caution ahead of any tightening. The lack of clear guidance has kept investors on edge, leading to selling. “With escalating uncertainty surrounding the US and Japan’s monetary policies, there’s a deep-rooted yearning to cut down on any long position in stocks,” Mitsuo Shimizu, deputy general manager at Japan Asia Securities Group, told Bloomberg News. In Japan, where investors have been left disappointed by a series of weak central bank remedies or lack of action, reports that officials are considering cutting interest rates further into negative territory hammered financial firms. Tokyo’s Nikkei ended down 1.3 percent, with exporters also weighed by a pick-up in the yen as uncertainty over the impact of a possible new rate cut sent traders into safe havens. “Minus interest rates are supposed to make the yen weaker, but if the move triggers concerns over the potential negative impact on the overall economy, the yen could strengthen again,” Naoki Fujiwara, chief fund manager with Shinkin Asset Management, said. Other markets swung in an out of positive territory. Sydney reversed early losses to end 0.2 percent higher, while there were also gains in Hong Kong, which added 0.6 percent following a three-day sell-off. Singapore and Wellington retreated. Markets in Shanghai, Seoul and Taipei were closed for public holidays. James Audiss, Sydney-based senior wealth manager at Shaw and Partners, said: “Volatility is here to stay going into the back-end of the year with central bank meetings and the US election coming up.” The dollar bought 102.28 yen in Tokyo, down from 102.38 yen in New York and well off levels above 103 yen seen earlier Wednesday in Asia. In early European trade London, Paris added 0.1 percent and Frankfurt was flat. Europe’s main stocks markets steadied in initial trading on Thursday, as investors in London looked ahead to a monetary policy announcement from the Bank of England. Shortly after the open, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index was flat at 6,673.28 points. In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 index was virtually unchanged at 10,377.29 points and the Paris CAC edged up 0.1 percent to 4,373.92 compared with the close on Wednesday. The Bank of England will at 1100 GMT publish the outcome of its latest monthly policy meeting, with markets widely expecting the BoE to sit tight after last month cutting its key interest rate to a record-low 0.25 percent to protect the economy from potential Brexit fallout.