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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Eurozone rates maintained at 1% | Eurozone rates maintained at 1% |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The European Central Bank (ECB) has kept the eurozone interest rate at its record low of 1% for the 10th month in a row, as expected. | The European Central Bank (ECB) has kept the eurozone interest rate at its record low of 1% for the 10th month in a row, as expected. |
| The ECB also signalled it would scale back the special lending measures introduced during the financial crisis. | |
| ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said that economic recovery in the euro area was "on track but will remain uneven". | ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said that economic recovery in the euro area was "on track but will remain uneven". |
| Worries remain about Greece's ability to tackle its debt burden despite its announcement of new austerity plans. | |
| But Mr Trichet dismissed suggestions that Greece could leave the euro as "an absurd hypothesis". | |
| "As president of the ECB I am making a very positive judgement on the decisions Greece has taken, they are convincing in our eyes." | "As president of the ECB I am making a very positive judgement on the decisions Greece has taken, they are convincing in our eyes." |
| Earlier on Thursday, the Bank of England kept the UK's key interest rate on hold at 0.5%, for the 12th month in a row. | Earlier on Thursday, the Bank of England kept the UK's key interest rate on hold at 0.5%, for the 12th month in a row. |
| Eurozone interest rates have been at 1% since May last year. | Eurozone interest rates have been at 1% since May last year. |
| The ECB estimates that the eurozone's economy will expand by between 0.4% and 1.4% in 2010 and between 0.5% and 2.5% in 2011. | The ECB estimates that the eurozone's economy will expand by between 0.4% and 1.4% in 2010 and between 0.5% and 2.5% in 2011. |
| Europe's return to growth is seen as fragile, with particular concerns about Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Portugal. | |
| Earlier on Thursday, Eurostat confirmed its initial estimate that the eurozone and the wider EU27 economic area had both grown by 0.1% in the final quarter of 2009. | Earlier on Thursday, Eurostat confirmed its initial estimate that the eurozone and the wider EU27 economic area had both grown by 0.1% in the final quarter of 2009. |