
The European Central Bank has
cut its main interest rate by 0.25% – to its lowest ever level. It means that its main
rate is now at 0.75%, the first time it has been below 1%. Mario Draghi, the
president of the ECB, said that he broadly welcomed decisions taken at the
European Council and eurozone summit last week (28-29 June). He refused to
comment on the possibility of further long-term refinancing operations (LTRO),
cheap loans to banks that were credited with restoring some calm to financial
markets at the beginning of the year.