Dec 28 (Reuters) - European shares were flat on Thursday as dipping energy stocks countered rising healthcare shares, though the markets looked set to finish the year strong amid persisting hopes that major global central banks could cut borrowing costs next year.
The pan-European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) held steady at 478.67 points as of 0922 GMT, hovering near its 23-month high hit two weeks ago.
The healthcare sector (.SXDP) led gains, rising 0.4% as Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), Europe's most valuable company, added 0.8% after declining for the previous two sessions.
Keeping a lid on gains, heavyweight energy stocks (.SXEP) declined 0.5%, tracking lower crude oil prices.
Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that with Denmark's Maersk(MAERSKb.CO) scheduling the resumption of tankers' passages via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, it has helped dispel some immediate crude supply concerns amid the Middle East crisis.
Shares of the shipping company were largely flat after falling nearly 5% in the previous session.
However, tensions remain elevated, with Middle Eastern leaders warning about the conflict widening, with Israel's border with Lebanon being a worrisome hotspot, following attacks by Hezbollah, she added.
The European benchmark index eyes a near 13% advance this year with technology (.SX8P) and retail (.SXRP) among the best-performing sectors this year.
Global markets have rallied since mid-December when the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted that it could look at rate cuts next year. However, the European Central Bank (ECB) did not share a similar outlook.
Volumes are expected to be light with only a few trading days left in the calendar year.
Among individual stocks, Vestas Wind Systems (VWS.CO) extended gains to a sixth straight session, rising 1.7% after the Danish wind turbine-maker said it received a 1,089 MW order in the United States.
On Thursday's data front, Spanish retail sales rose 5.2% in November from a year earlier after rising by a revised 5.3% in October.
Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Sohini Goswami
