Interest rate marginally up

The Dutch long-term interest rate, based on the return of the most recent ten-year government loan, averaged 3.8 percent in April. This is 0.1 percentage points up on March. After a gradual drop in the second half of 2008, the long-term interest rate remained fairly stable in the first months of 2009.  

In May 2009, the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to lower some of its interest rates. As from 13 May, the most important ECB interest rate, the repo rate, stands at 1.0 percent. The ECB deposit rate remains unchanged and stands at 0.25 percent. The deposit rate is often considered as the bottom rate on the interest market.

One of the main guidelines for the ECB’s decision to change or refrain from changing the interest rate is the inflation level in the eurozone. According to the ECB, prices are stable in the eurozone, if the inflation rate is close to 2 percent. Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, calculated an average inflation rate of 0.6 percent for April. This equals the inflation rate in March. Inflation in the euro zone is the lowest ever observed.

Capital market interest rate (latest ten-year government bond)

Capital market interest rate (latest ten-year government bond)