MW: European Central Bank leaves key rate unchanged
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European Central Bank policy makers on Thursday decided to leave the key lending rate unchanged at 1%. The decision was widely expected. Attention now turns to ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet's monthly news conference, scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Market participants are awaiting details of the central bank's previously announced plan to purchase 60 billion euros worth of covered bonds in an effort to boost credit flow in the euro-zone economy.
