European Central Bank holds interest rates steady

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - The European Central Bank has decided to keep interest rates unchanged.

The ECB held interest rates on the main refinancing operations unchanged at 0.00 percent, according to a statement from the bank after Governing Council on Thursday.

Interest rates on the marginal lending facility and on the deposit facility will remain steady at their current level of 0.25 percent and -0.40 percent, respectively, the ECB said.

"The Governing Council expects the key ECB interest rates to remain at their present levels for an extended period of time, and well past the horizon of the net asset purchases," the statement read.

The ECB added that monthly net asset purchases of €30 billion were intended to run until the end of September, or beyond, if necessary.

"The Eurosystem will reinvest the principal payments from maturing securities purchased under the asset purchase program for an extended period of time after the end of its net asset purchases, and in any case for as long as necessary," it said.