ECB cuts rates in surprise move

Reuters:  The European Central Bank cut interest rates by a quarter point to 1.25 percent in a surprise move on Thursday, acting boldly to support the ailing euro zone economy at President Mario Draghi’s first policy meeting in charge.

The move gave an immediate boost to stock markets, which will be looking for any signal at Draghi’s first post-policy meeting news conference on whether the ECB is ready to boost its bond purchases to calm tensions in the euro area.

The Italian has walked into a maelstrom in his first week at the ECB’s helm, with euro zone leaders contemplating a future without Greece and economic policy paralysis in his home country threatening to push Rome into the eye of the storm.

The decision to cut rates was unexpected and came despite inflation in the 17-country euro zone staying at 3.0 percent for a second month running in October, well above the ECB’s target of just below 2 percent.