European Central Bank keeps interest rates unchanged

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday announced to keep key interest rates unchanged.

The interest rate on the main refinancing operations was kept unchanged at 0.00 percent, according to a statement from the ECB's Governing Council.

The bank's interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility remain to stand at 0.25 percent and minus 0.40 percent, respectively.

"The Governing Council now expects the key ECB interest rates to remain at their present levels at least through the end of 2019," it said.

"And in any case for as long as necessary to ensure the continued sustained convergence of inflation to levels that are below, but close to, 2 percent over the medium term," the bank added.