Healthcare companies also gained with Qiagen ( QGEN ), a provider of sample and assay technologies for diagnostics and pharmaceutical research, advancing 2.2% in Frankfurt and French drugmaker Sanofi ( SNY ) rising by 1.6%. Europe's central bank opted to expand its quantitative easing program from a previously envisioned possible end-date of March 2017 through to the end of 2017 following its monetary policy meeting on Thursday. Outsourcing company Capita (CPI.L) fell for a second day, losing 7%, making it the biggest decliner in the STOXX 600, after lowering its profit forecast for a second time in three months.