FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - The Latest on the European Central Bank's monetary policy meeting (all times local):
1:45 p.m.
The European Central Bank has left its interest rates and policy statement unchanged amid predictions that it will soon start signaling an exit from its extraordinary stimulus efforts.
The bank's 25-member governing council did not change its stance that its 30 billion euros ($36 billion) in monthly bond purchases will run at least until September and longer if necessary. The purchases pump newly created money into the economy to raise inflation and growth in the wake of the 19 country eurozone's crisis over high debt in member countries such as Italy and Greece.
Analysts are waiting for the bank President Mario Draghi's news conference to see if he will offer any signal about whether the purchases will come to an abrupt end in September or continue, possibly at a lower pace.
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10:40 a.m.
A survey of German business confidence has matched its all-time high, providing more upbeat data ahead of the European Central Bank's policy meeting.
The bank's governing council gathers as markets wait for clues from bank president Mario Draghi at a news conference on how long the ECB will continue its bond-purchase stimulus now that growth is strong.
The bank says it'll keep buying 30 billion euros ($36 billion) per month in bonds at least through September. The step pumps newly printed money into the economy to raise still-weak inflation. No changes are expected Thursday.
Germany's Ifo index rose to 117.6 points in January from 117.2 in December, matching an all-time high from November. The reading follows business activity surveys that also show a strong upswing in the 19-country eurozone.
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