The European Central Bank (ECB)
on Thursday left its key interest rates unchanged at record
lows.
The ECB held its main refinancing rate at 0.05% and its
deposit rate at -0.20, meaning that commercial banks must pay to
leave funds at the central bank.
The ECB cut rates to those unusually low levels last month
as part of an effort to push banks to lend more to clients and
to boost lackluster economic growth across the eurozone.
ECB President Mario Draghi also started a new targeted
lending program, announced in June and designed to lend billions
of euros in inexpensive loans to retail banks.
The ECB's governing council met in Naples amid
anti-austerity protests.
The central bank meets twice per year outside of its
headquarters in Frankfurt.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA