The European Central Bank decrees its fifth consecutive interest rate cut, sets the price of money at 2.5%, and anticipates that the next monetary decisions are not at all clear. Huge uncertainty". "Uncertainty everywhere".

The EUR/USD pair reached levels not seen since last November, settling not far below 1.0888, the Friday high. The US Dollar’s (USD) sell-off was the result of tepid United States (US) data and mounting fears President Donald Trump’s tariffs will result in an economic setback.

The ECB’s rate-setting council lowered its benchmark deposit rate to 2.5%. That should provide support for growth by making it cheaper to borrow and buy a house or expand a factory. The rate was raised to a record 4% to combat inflation that reached 10.6% in Oct. 2022, but has been reducing it steadily since June.

The ECB has cut rates five times since June as inflation retreated and economic growth faltered. But with rates slowly approaching a level that no longer restricts economic growth, one might expect an end to the easing cycle.

The euro extended its gains and was last up 0.28% at $1.082, having traded at $1.0797 earlier, while government bond yields edged up. Germany's two-year bond yield traded at 2.25%, versus 2.22% just before the decision, while Italian bond yields edged up. European stocks were last down 0.6%.

The European Central Bank cut interest rates as expected on Thursday and kept the door ajar to more, even as a looming trade war with the US and plans to