The European Central Bank has held the key interest rate steady at 0.5 per cent.
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The ECB is meeting this lunchtime against the backdrop of unease on the markets at the political crisis in Portugal and the unfolding situation in Egypt.
Portugal was rescued from the threat of bankruptcy two years ago with loans of 78 billion euro – borrowing costs soared to an unsustainable 8 per cent yesterday but have eased somewhat in today’s trading.
The country’s finance minister and foreign minister both resigned this week over tensions arising from the austerity programme.
