Euro zone’s lacklustre growth set to keep ECB on rate-cut path

The euro-area economy’s sub-par performance is convincing the European Central Bank that it can further loosen the shackles on growth by lowering interest rates for a fourth straight meeting this week.

Data due Thursday, hours before policymakers in Frankfurt announce their decision on borrowing costs, will probably show gross domestic product rose by just 0.1% in the fourth quarter, down from 0.4% in the third, according to a Bloomberg poll.