European Central Bank meets as France's deteriorating public finances continue to drive questions - Le Monde.fr

The European Central Bank meets on Thursday, October 29, with France's deteriorating public finances in focus as questions swirl over how it might support the eurozone's second-largest economy. Most expect the ECB to keep interest rates on hold for now, having already hiked them twice this year, as it walks a fine line between tamping down inflation fueled by the Iran war energy shock and supporting the eurozone economy. French bond yields, which reflect the cost of government borrowing, surged to their highest level since 2002 last week amid a standoff over next year's budget. Street protests, driven in part by demands for more spending on public services, also degenerated into the worst street violence in years.