European Central Bank keeps interest rates unchanged, matching forecast

Rates on main refinancing operations, marginal lending facility, deposit facility held at 4.25%, 4.50%, 3.75%, respectively

By Tuba Ongun

The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday kept interest rates unchanged as widely expected.

The interest rates on the main refinancing operations plus the marginal lending facility and deposit facility will be held at 4.25%, 4.50%, and 3.75%, respectively, said a bank statement.

The bank said some measures of underlying inflation ticked up in May owing to one-off factors, most measures were either stable or edged down in June.

The ECB expects inflation to remain above the target well into next year.

The euro area annual consumer inflation rate eased to 2.5% in June from 2.6% in May, according to the latest data from Eurostat.

The bank reiterated its pledge to keep policy rates "sufficiently restrictive" for as long as necessary to achieve its 2% medium-term target.

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