ECB’s Mario Draghi warns of weaker growth ahead
The ECB leaves its guidance and interest rates unchanged at its first meeting of 2019
Frankfurt — European Central Bank President Mario Draghi acknowledged on Thursday that economic growth in the eurozone was likely to be weaker than earlier expected due to the fall-out from factors ranging from China's slowdown to Brexit The region's economy is already suffering its biggest slowdown in half a decade, raising questions over whether the ECB will be able to increase interest rates for the first time in a decade later this year as its current guidance indicates. The ECB left that guidance and interest rates unchanged at its meeting on Thursday. But Draghi's downbeat comments, including a reference to "downside" risks, will fuel market speculation that the bank will delay any rate hike, mirroring a more cautious approach by the US Federal Reserve, and may offer new cheap loans to banks. "The risks surrounding the euro area growth outlook have moved to the downside on account of the persistence of uncertainties," Draghi told a news conference, citing trade and geopolitica...
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