ECB offers banks fresh round of bond purchase to kickstart economy

Frankfurt

THE European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday will again offer banks a chance to get cheap long-term loans, but a disappointing uptake could put it under more pressure to help kickstart the moribund economy.

By pumping more liquidity into the financial system, the Frankfurt-based central bank aims to boost the eurozone economy via private-sector loans and, in turn, halt a stubborn drop in inflation.