The European Central Bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged for a sixth straight meeting on Thursday, maintaining a cautious stance as policymakers navigate heightened uncertainty driven by escalating Middle East tensions and persistent inflation risks. The ECB will also release updated economic projections, while President Christine Lagarde’s press conference will be closely watched for signals on how the bank plans to address the economic fallout from the ongoing conflict. Last week, Lagarde reiterated the ECB’s commitment to ensuring inflation remains under control, stating that the bank will "do all that is necessary" to achieve this goal. Recent remarks from officials suggest a shift toward a more hawkish approach, as policymakers remain wary of another energy shock potentially triggering structural inflationary pressures. source: European Central Bank

The benchmark interest rate In the Euro Area was last recorded at 2.15 percent. Interest Rate in Euro Area averaged 1.88 percent from 1998 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 4.75 percent in October of 2000 and a record low of 0.00 percent in March of 2016. This page provides - Euro Area Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Euro Area Interest Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.

The benchmark interest rate In the Euro Area was last recorded at 2.15 percent. Interest Rate in Euro Area is expected to be 2.15 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Euro Area Interest Rate is projected to trend around 2.65 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-10-30 01:15 PM ECB Interest Rate Decision 2.15% 2.15% 2.15% 2.15%
2025-12-18 01:15 PM ECB Interest Rate Decision 2.15% 2.15% 2.15% 2.15%
2026-02-05 01:15 PM ECB Interest Rate Decision 2.15% 2.15% 2.15% 2.15%
2026-03-19 01:15 PM ECB Interest Rate Decision 2.15% 2.15% 2.15%
2026-03-26 08:00 AM ECB General Council Meeting
2026-04-08 07:00 AM ECB Non-Monetary Policy Meeting


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Central Bank Balance Sheet 6168261.00 6176464.00 EUR Million Mar 2026
Deposit Facility Rate 2.00 2.00 percent Feb 2026
Foreign Exchange Reserves 128.36 124.87 USD Billion Feb 2026
ECB Interest Rate 2.15 2.15 percent Feb 2026
Marginal Lending Rate 2.40 2.40 percent Feb 2026
Loans to Households YoY 3.00 3.00 percent Jan 2026
Loans to Non-financial Corporations 5340351.00 5323731.00 EUR Million Jan 2026
Longer-Term Refinancing Operations 10.57 11.23 EUR Billion Dec 2025
Money Supply M0 4243230.00 4248919.00 EUR Million Feb 2026
Money Supply M1 11225427.00 11092333.00 EUR Million Jan 2026
Money Supply M2 16204710.00 16076999.00 EUR Million Jan 2026
Money Supply M3 17344679.00 17206690.00 EUR Million Jan 2026
Refinancing Operations 10.65 10.04 EUR Billion Dec 2025


Euro Area Interest Rate
In the Euro Area, benchmark interest rate is set by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. The primary objective of the ECB’s monetary policy is to maintain price stability which is to keep inflation below, but close to 2 percent over the medium term. In times of prolonged low inflation and low interest rates, ECB may also adopt non-standard monetary policy measures, such as asset purchase programmes. The official interest rate is the Main refinancing operations rate.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
2.15 2.15 4.75 0.00 1998 - 2026 percent Daily

News Stream
ECB Lagarde Vows to Tame Inflation Amid Energy Shock
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said the central bank will do everything necessary to keep inflation under control despite the latest surge in energy prices. Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Lagarde stressed that policymakers remain committed to preventing a repeat of the sharp price spikes seen in recent years. “I can assure you ... that we will do everything necessary to keep inflation under control and to ensure that the French, the Europeans, do not experience inflationary increases like those we saw in 2022 and 2023,” she said. Lagarde noted that Europe is now better positioned to absorb the current energy shock than it was during the 2022 crisis, thanks to stronger policy responses and improved resilience across the region. However, she also warned that uncertainty and market volatility remain elevated
2026-03-10
ECB Minutes Show Undershoot Worries Before Iran War
The European Central Bank said policymakers expected inflation to drop further below their 2% target before the recent surge in energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict. Minutes from the February 4–5 meeting showed officials were comfortable keeping interest rates unchanged and believed the overall outlook was stable, supported by the euro’s strength against the dollar. At the time, inflation was projected to fall below target in the near term, though policymakers warned that volatile energy prices could quickly alter the outlook. That risk has now become more visible after oil prices jumped more than 20% this week, which could push inflation higher in the short run since Europe relies heavily on imported energy. Markets are now pricing in a small chance of a rate hike by December. For now, the bank says its policy stance is appropriate, but it remains ready to adjust if inflation risks intensify.
2026-03-05
ECB Holds Rates Steady, Outlook Remains Uncertain
The ECB left interest rates unchanged at its first policy meeting of 2026, reiterating that inflation is expected to stabilize at its 2% target over the medium term. The interest rate on the main refinancing operations was maintained at 2.15%, while the deposit facility and marginal lending rates were kept at 2.0% and 2.4%, respectively. The ECB said the euro area economy remains resilient, but cautioned that the outlook remains uncertain, particularly due to global trade policy risks and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Speaking at the ECB press conference, President Lagarde reiterated that both the central bank and the euro area inflation outlook are in a “good place.” She warned that inflation figures may move unevenly in the months ahead, but emphasized that policy decisions should not be driven by any single data release. Lagarde also acknowledged that uncertainty around the inflation outlook is higher than normal, reflecting the volatility of the global policy environment.
2026-02-05