The most surprising and controversial thing about last December’s rate hike by the European Central Bank was that, after two and a half years of keeping interest rates at exceptionally low levels, the bank ventured an increase of only 25 basis points with no promise of more to come. Political pressure on Europe’s central bank may be the reason for that timid move.
去年12月欧洲中央银行的利率提升中最让人意外也最具争议的一点就是：该行把利率从两年半以来的超低水平上，提高了仅25个基点，并没有承诺会进一步升息。欧洲央行所承受的政治压力可能是造成这一怯懦举动的原因。