European Central Bank Joins Fed in Paving Way for Rate Cut

In this Dec. 11, 2018, photo the European Central Bank sits next to the river Main in Frankfurt, Germany. Michael Probst/AP

FRANKFURT, Germany—The European Central Bank joined the U.S. Federal Reserve in making clear that more stimulus could be coming soon to support an economy weakening in the face of global trade tensions.

The ECB’s rate-setting board left its key interest benchmarks unchanged at a policy meeting on July 25 but said it could cut them as its next move. It also said it was telling staff to study ways to restart its bond-buying stimulus program in coming weeks.