The European Central Bank (ECB) left interest rates unchanged for now, as it assesses the economic impact and wider fallout of the Iran war. The ECB kept its main refinancing interest rate – the key rate for mortgages – at 2.15 per cent as expected, the bank said in a statement. Economists had expected the ECB to leave rates unchanged for now, as it gauges the impact of the war in Iran on the European economy. Energy prices have soared since the last time the Frankfurt-based ECB decided interest rates at the start of February. More to follow

Source: The Irish Times March 19, 2026 14:46 UTC