European stocks rose early on Thursday, tracking a rally on Wall Street after the U.S. Federal Reserve gave an upbeat assessment of the economy and said it would take a patient approach toward raising interest rates, Reuters reported. At 0804 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 1.4 percent at 1,335.46 points. Fed Chair Janet Yellen told a news conference that "patient" meant the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee was unlikely to hike rates for "at least a couple of meetings," meaning April of next year at the earliest.
