Stock indices closed mixed on the Fed's interest rate decision. The Fed kept its monetary policy unchanged on Wednesday, but dropped the word "patient" from its outlook for monetary policy. The central bank lowered its forecasts for growth and inflation.

The European Central Bank (ECB) said on Thursday that banks borrowed €97.8 billion in loans, the so-called TLTROs. This figure indicates that the recovery in the Eurozone is spurring lending.

The ECB said in its economic bulletin that the economic activity is expected to rise due to the recent improvements in business and consumer confidence, falling oil prices and a weaker euro.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,962.32 +17.12 +0.25 %

DAX 11,899.4 -23.37 -0.20 %

CAC 40 5,037.18 +3.76 +0.07 %