09.09.202105:01:00UTC+00European Economics Preview: ECB Monetary Policy Decision Due

The monetary policy announcement from the European Central Bank is due on Thursday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

The bank is expected to signal a gradual reduction in asset purchases and to keep its key interest rates unchanged. The monetary policy statement is due at 7.45 am ET.

ECB President Christine Lagarde holds her customary press conference at 8.30 am ET. The ECB staff macroeconomic projections is also due. The bank is widely expected to raise its inflation and growth forecasts for 2021.

Other economic reports due for the day are as follows:

At 2.00 am ET, Destatis releases Germany's foreign trade data for July. Economists forecast exports to grow 0.5 percent on month and imports to rise 0.2 percent. In the meantime, external trade figures are due from Romania and Lithuania.

At 5.00 am ET, unemployment data for June is due from Greece. The rate stood at 15.9 percent in May.