Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York European shares closed higher on Thursday, led by technology stocks, as hopes grew that the Federal Reserve’s post-pandemic tightening cycle was close to an end due to cooling US inflation. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index ended 0.6 per cent higher, extending gains to the fifth straight day, its longest winning streak in nearly three months. A faster-than-expected slowdown in US inflation reinforced bets that the Fed could end its rate hikes soon after July. Dublin Cairn Homes shares fell by 0.36 per cent to €1.12 on…