The ECB cut interest rates for the eighth time in the past year and signalled at least a pause in policy easing next month since inflation was now safely back at its 2% target after three years of overshooting.

Traders are increasingly confident the European Central Bank will pause its run of interest rate cuts now that the central bank sees itself as well-positioned to deal with global economic uncertainty

The key interest rate was cut by a quarter point to 2% on Thursday, but the monetary cycle is 'coming to an end,' said European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde.