ECB's Nowotny sees no need for rate changes this year

VIENNA: There is no need for the European Central Bank to change interest rates this year, Austrian central bank Governor Ewald Nowotny said on Thursday, confirming market expectations for steady rates well into next year or possibly longer.

Nowotny added that if the new US administration bumps up budget spending, that would likely lead to higher inflation and interest rates, firming the dollar and putting exporters at a disadvantage, the exact opposite of the government's stated policy aim.