The central bank's decision comes at a critical time for the euro zone economy as businesses and policy makers face increasing uncertainty in the wake of rising geopolitical tensions. The ECB also released its latest economic projections,

The European Central Bank on Thursday offered no surprises as it cut interest rates for the eighth time in a year — further widening the differential between official U.S. and eurozone policy rates, a gulf that has prompted President Donald Trump to lash out repeatedly at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Europe's stocks were rising, with investors convinced that the continent's central bank will slash interest rates again on Thursday. The flagship Stoxx 600 index rose 0.4% in morning trading. Frankfurt's Dax was also up 0.