The European Central Bank is all but certain to cut interest rates on Thursday and is likely to keep open the door to further policy easing as concerns over lacklustre economic growth supersede worries about persistent inflation.

The European Central Bank may stop describing its monetary policy stance as “restrictive” at its next decision in March, according to people familiar with the Governing Council’s debate.

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The European Central Bank (ECB) cut its benchmark interest rate again by a quarter-point to 2.75% on Thursday as inflation nears 2% and growth remains weak.

Several members of the ECB’s Governing Council have already voiced such fears, stressing that the ECB should cut rates to a “neutral” level as quickly as possible. Deutsche Bank’s Mark Wall said in e-mailed comments that rates may “quite probably” end up below neutral by year-end.

ECB cuts the deposit rate by a quarter point to 2.75 per cent as expected and offers little shift in tone from December as it continues to move policy away from restrictive territory

The European Central Bank is set to lower interest rates for a fifth meeting as inflation that’s nearing the 2% target lets officials further loosen the shackles on the economy.

The ECB is expected to cut rates by 25bps to 2.75% on Thursday as inflation nears 2% and growth remains weak. Analysts see further cuts in 2025, but US trade tariffs could add uncertainty.

The central bank cut rates by a quarter point, as it rushes to brace a stagnant economy against President Trump’s threatened tariffs.

During the press conference, ECB President Christine Lagarde indicated that the central bank's macro assessment had hardly changed from its December meeting. The ECB still sees the disinflationary process on track and expects a pick up in demand, though it acknowledges the near-term weakness of the eurozone economy.

On Wall Street, Tesla drove 2.9% higher even though Elon Musk’s electric-vehicle company reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Mr Musk asserted Tesla will offer unsupervised “full self-driving” technology to its customers as a paid service starting in Austin in June.