Global Stocks Rise Ahead of ECB Policy Decision

European stocks followed Asian indexes higher ahead of the European Central Bank meeting later today, where hints of fresh stimulus to boost the eurozone economy are widely expected.

A move toward easier policy in Europe would come as a part of a global shift toward stimulus amid fading economic outlooks, said Georgina Taylor, fund manager at

Invesco
.

The Stoxx Europe 600 was up by 0.2%, led by gains in the travel and leisure sector.

Shares of U.K. defense and aerospace company Cobham jumped 34% after it accepted a $5 billion cash offer from Advent International Corp. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Anheuser-Busch InBev

BUD -0.28%

shares gained 4.9% after its earnings report Thursday, which showed that it sold more beer at higher prices globally in the second quarter.

Asian stocks were broadly up, South Korea’s Kospi was the exception with a decline of 0.4%.

The yield on 10-year German bunds was at minus 0.392%, rising from the all-time low it reached Wednesday. In the U.S., the yield on 10-year Treasurys fell to 2.028%, from 2.052% Wednesday. Yields fall when bond prices rise. The WSJ Dollar Index, which measures the currency against a basket of peers, was flat.

On the earnings front, financial firms

Lazard

and

KKR

will report Thursday, as will tech giants

Alphabet
Inc.

and

Amazon.com
Inc.

A series of better-than-expected earnings reports have recently supported markets.

Facebook
Inc.

on Wednesday brushed off a record-setting privacy fine to post strong earnings and revenue growth. Shares gained 1.9% in premarket trade.

U.S. durable goods data for June are due later Thursday, which will give an indication of the health of American manufacturing.

In commodities, the global oil benchmark Brent crude was up by 0.6% to $63.55 a barrel, as European powers struggled to cooperate on a plan to secure the Persian Gulf. Gold edged up 0.2%.

Write to Lauren Almeida at lauren.almeida@wsj.com