Financial Express: Rato says Europe may grow faster in 2nd half

Financial ExpressRato says Europe may grow faster in 2nd half

“Monetary policy is adequate” and “not part of the weakness in the European economy,” de Rato said. “If the weakness continues,” the ECB “shouldn't rule out a rate cut,” he added. The IMF's forecast of 1.6% growth for the euro region in 2005 is higher than that of the European Central bank, which pared its prediction for expansion for the third time in six months on June 2 to around 1.4%. ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said that risks to growth were “on the downside.”