Bank of England, ECB expected to keep rates unchanged

“While the U.S. economy has succumbed to stagnation and the U.K. economy is decelerating sharply, the euro zone has so far held up fairly well”

The European Central Bank and the Bank of England are both expected to keep their interest rates unchanged Thursday, as more evidence mounts that growth in the euro zone and in Britain is likely to slow in coming months.

For the ECB, which meets in Athens _ part of its twice-a-year road show to other euro zone capitals _ the change in scenery is not going to mean a change in policy for its benchmark refinancing rate, which has stood at 4 percent since last summer.

Higher rates, used to combat inflation, also can strengthen a currency and are considered to be supporting the euro. Read more