The European Central Bank today held its key interest rates steady, as expected, at the first regular fortnightly meeting of its governing council this year.
The ECB held the minimum bid rate for its regular refinancing operations at 4.75%. It also left unchanged its two other rates - the deposit rate at 3.75% and the marginal lending rate at 5.75%.
No change had been expected from the bank so early in the year, despite the US Federal Reserve's surprise reduction in US interest rates last night.
