The survey shows that calls for an interest rate hike this year are weakening, and the European Central Bank may keep rates unchanged until the end of next year.

With the cooling calls for rate hikes in 2026, it is expected that the European Central Bank will maintain interest rates unchanged at least until the end of next year. The survey of economists unanimously predicts that the ECB Governing Council will keep the deposit rate at 2% during the meeting in Frankfurt on February 4th and 5th. Although the percentage of people expecting one or more rate hikes before 2028 has increased from about one-fourth in the previous survey to one-third, the number of people expecting such action to be taken this year has decreased.