European lawmakers call on central bank to hold rates steady

A large majority of MEPs urged the European Central Bank on Wednesday (16 February) to continue an ultra-loose monetary policy amid warnings that hiking interest rates would damage a post-Covid economic recovery.

The ECB has resisted calls to increase interest rates. But debate among ECB's 27 governing council members representing each EU central bank is sharpening.

And on Wednesday, 569 lawmakers voted in favour of a non-binding annual report to the ECB recommending continuing ...