European stock markets mostly rose Tuesday, with the energy sector lifted by rising oil prices, and ahead of this week's key interest rate decisions.

London's FTSE 100 index advanced 0.3 percent in late morning deals and the Paris CAC 40 index won 0.2 percent, while Frankfurt's DAX 30 turned flat.

Brent crude hit a more than two-year high, building on a surge on Monday that came on news that the Forties pipeline in the North Sea has been shut down for a few weeks after it was found to be leaking.

That has energised the oil sector because rising oil prices tend to translate into bumper profits and revenues.

In London, Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell's 'A' shares jumped 1.6 percent to 2,422.50 pence and British rival BP gained 1.5 percent to 506.40 pence.