The European Central Bank has decided to leave all three key interest rates unchanged. The base loan rate was maintained at 4.5%, the deposit rate at 4%, and the margin loan rate at 4.75%. The regulator also noted that the latest statistical data confirmed its previous assessment of medium-term inflation risks. The main factors influencing the decision were the weakening of core inflation and restrictive financial conditions, which have an impact on economic activity and the growth rate of consumer prices. The ECB is committed to the goal of bringing inflation back to 2%, and the governing council believes that key rates are at a level that contributes to achieving this goal. The regulator will also continue to reinvest proceeds from the repayment of securities acquired under the asset repurchase program (APP) in the first half of 2024. The next step will be to reduce the portfolio of securities acquired under the emergency asset purchase program (PEPP), starting in the second half of 2024. It is planned to complete the reinvestment of PEPP proceeds by the end of 2024. The ECB leadership emphasizes its readiness to adjust all instruments to ensure that inflation returns to the target level of 2%.
