ECB keeps key interest rates unchanged

FRANKFURT, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Central Bank (ECB) decided Thursday that Eurozone base interest rate, namely the interest rate on main refinancing operations, will remain at 0.00 percent, with the marginal lending rate and deposit rate remaining at 0.25 percent and minus 0.40 percent respectively.

In the meantime, the ECB reaffirmed that it expects the interest rates to remain at their present levels for an extended period of time, and well past the horizon of the net asset purchases.