Amid growing calls for interest rate cuts, the European Central Bank (ECB) is to set its future monetary policy course on Thursday.
It is generally expected that the Frankfurt-based central bank will leave key interest rates in the eurozone unchanged.
The decision will be announced at 2:15 pm (1315 GMT) which will be followed by a statement from ECB President Christine Lagarde 30 minutes later.
The main refinancing operations rate, which provides liquidity to the banking system, stands at 4.5%. The ECB's deposit rate, which credit institutions receive when they park money at the bank, stands at a record 4%.
The ECB ended its long era of zero and negative interest rates in July 2022. The central bank has raised interest rates ten times in a row since July 2022 in order to get a grip on inflation.
As this makes loans more expensive, it can curb demand and counteract high inflation rates. However, more expensive financing is also a burden for companies and private investors.
In view of the weakening economy and easing inflation, there are increasing calls for interest rates to be cut again.
