European Central Bank policymakers on Thursday lowered their annual inflation and growth forecasts, as they confirmed a widely expected hold of interest rates. Staff projections now see economic growth of 0.6% in 2024, from a previous forecast of 0.8%. They presented a more positive picture on inflation, with the forecast for the year brought to an average 2.3% from 2.7%. Looking ahead, staff see inflation hitting the ECB’s 2% target in 2025 and cooling further to 1.9% in 2026. That appeared to increase market bets on rate cuts taking place in the summer of this year, with the euro trading 0.35% lower against the ... (full story)