Thursday, December 4, 2008

Breaking News-RTRS-ECB set to cut rates as spotlight falls on forecasts

FRANKFURT, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates to at least a two year low on Thursday armed with a new set of in-house forecasts likely to confirm that the euro zone economy is in serious trouble.
Two-thirds of analysts in a Reuters poll [ECB/INT] see a 50 basis points cut which would take rates to a 2.75 percent -- a two year low -- but 24 of the 81 economists polled think policymakers will go for a 75, or even 100 basis point cut.