The European Central Bank (ECB) decided on Thursday to keep the base rates at 2.25 percent and the deposit rate at 1.25 percent.

The rate on the marginal lending facility will be kept at 3.25 percent, the ECB governing council announced in Frankfurt, where the bank is headquartered.

The decision was expected by financial markets. However, economists expect the ECB to raise rates again soon. Most are predicting a 25 basis point rate increase at the ECB's next monetary policy meeting on March 2.

Source: Xinhua