Jean-Claude Trichet

The European Central Bank said Thursday it would begin unwinding the extraordinary measures it had taken to boost eurozone growth, while leaving its main interest rate unchanged at a record low of 1.0 percent. ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said a 12-month unlimited loan of central bank cash on December 16 would be the last, and that six-month loans would end with an operation scheduled for March 31. "Improved conditions in financial markets have indicated that not all our liquidity measures are needed to the same extent as in the past," an ECB statement said. The bank will loan the 12-month funds at a floating ... Read Full Story

The European Central Bank kept its main interest rate at 1.0 percent on Thursday as markets sought signs the ECB will start unwinding exceptional economic measures introduced in the midst of the financial crisis. The bank's key rate remained at the record low point first reached in May when policymakers sought to spur an economic recovery, a spokesman said. Europe crawled out of recession in the third quarter with the 16-nation eurozone posting 0.4 percent growth, official European Union data confirmed earlier in the day. Financial markets quickly focused on revised growth and inflation forecasts by ECB staff to be released during a press ... Read Full Story

Financial markets are looking for signs from the European Central Bank on Thursday that it will start unwinding exceptional economic measures introduced in the midst of the financial crisis. The bank's main interest rate is expected to stay at 1.0 percent, however, while economists are keen to see what the ECB staff's latest growth forecast looks like. "The most interesting projections would be the first ones for 2011: the ECB should confirm the fragility of the current recovery by projecting both subdued GDP (gross domestic product) growth and inflation below the 2.0 percent objective, suggesting a long lasting status quo," for interest rates, Natixis ... Read Full Story

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is set to begin the delicate process of phasing out its financial crisis support on Thursday, backed by new staff forecasts which should show greater economic optimism. With markets still some way from normality, all 80 economists in the latest Reuters poll expect interest rates to be kept at 1 percent. Instead the focus will be on what ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet says about scaling back the emergency lending it has used to get the euro zone's financial system through the credit crisis and limit the recession. The meeting got underway at 0800 GMT (3 a.m. EST). ... Read Full Story

The European Central Bank is poised to start phasing out the extraordinary liquidity measures it set up over the last couple of years when it concludes its last rate-setting meeting of the year on Thursday. Analysts expect a number of significant decisions and announcements from the central bank for the 16 countries that share the euro — even though the benchmark rate will likely stay at the record low of 1 percent for months to come. In particular, they will be looking to see what President Jean-Claude Trichet says in his press conference about liquidity measures introduced to keep the banking system from collapse ... Read Full Story