The European Central Bank steered clear on Thursday of signalling any big policy shifts that could have unsettled investors that are already grappling with a raft of risks from war, oil prices and tighter credit conditions. The ECB paused an unprecedented hiking cycle in which its main rate has risen to a record 4%, from below 0% in July 2022, as inflation slows and the bloc's economy deteriorates. That was a relief to financial markets, roiled in recent weeks by a surge in government bond yields led by U.S. Treasuries. Crucially, the ECB did not discuss any changes to a key bond-buying scheme that it uses to support ... (full story)