Central Banks

ECB Cut All But Certain With Price Goal in View: Decision Guide

  • March reduction also widely expected before debate heats up
  • Inflation close to 2% allows focus on ailing economy
WATCH: Lizzy Burden reports from Frankfurt ahead of today’s decision.Source: Bloomberg
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The European Central Bank is set to lower interest rates for a fifth meeting as inflation that’s nearing the 2% target lets officials further loosen the shackles on the economy.

Analysts polled by Bloomberg are unanimous in predicting a quarter-point reduction in the deposit rate, to 2.75%, on Thursday. A majority doesn’t expect President Christine Lagarde to formally commit to future moves, even as many of her Governing Council colleagues have flagged that another cut will probably follow in March.