ECB leaves rates unchanged

Following a meeting of its rate-setting governing council, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced Thursday that it was keeping its benchmark refinancing rate at a historic low of 0.15 percent.

The central bank's rate for overnight deposits for commercial banks would remain at minus 0.10 percent, the ECB said.

In addition, the bank's marginal lending facility, which is an emergency borrowing rate, remained unchanged at 0.40 percent.

In July, the central bank for the euro currency area decided to cut its three main interest rates to historically low levels in an effort to help spur growth in the crisis-hit eurozone.

The move was intended to free up credit, notably in southern cash-strapped states such as Greece and Spain. Moreover, the bank sought to curb the rising risk of deflation in the eurozone.

Deflation may be good for consumers but it is bad for an economy and means falling prices, slumping growth and rising unemployment.

Downside risks to eurozone

The ECB noted Thursday that the current recovery in the 18-nation eurozone remained fragile and was facing a number of risks.

"In particular, geopolitical risks, as well as developments in emerging market economies and global financial markets may have the potential to affect economic conditions negatively, including through effects on energy prices and global demand for euro area products," ECB President Mario Draghi told a news conference.

As a result, interest rates in the currency area would remain at the present low levels for an extended period of time, he added.

The bank also announced that it would hold its regular policy meetings every six weeks from January instead of every month at present. The ECB would then start publishing regular accounts of the monetary policy meetings.

uhe/cjc (dpa, AFP, Reuters)