FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank on Thursday kept its key deposit rate unchanged at 2.25 percent but opened the door to a rise in September as fresh fighting in the Middle East threatens to send prices higher. “Yes, it was a unanimous decision,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said of Thursday’s decision to keep rates unchanged. “But I’m going to qualify that because there were some governors who asked themselves whether we should not consider a hike,” she added. Fresh fighting in the Middle East and rising oil prices had put the ECB on alert ahead of its rate-setting meeting.

The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged on Thursday, pausing after June's first hike in three years as easing inflation bought policymakers time, while renewed…

The ECB reiterated it won’t pre-commit but act one meeting at a time based on information as it arrives.