Breaking: European Central Bank leaves key rates unchanged as expected

• The European Central Bank (ECB) is reportedly preparing to raise interest rates during its upcoming September meeting, according to Bloomberg sources. • While the ECB kept rates steady during its most recent session, Chair Christine Lagarde acknowledged that internal discussions regarding a hike have already begun.

• New EU car registrations increased by 5.7% during the first half of 2026, driven by strong performance in June despite ongoing geopolitical headwinds. • Battery-electric vehicles reached a 20.7% market share, with significant growth in France (+62.9%), Germany (+48%), and Denmark (+41.2%).

• The US Treasury included South Korea on its semiannual foreign exchange monitoring list in a report released Thursday. • Despite South Korea's strong economic fundamentals and a large current account surplus, the US noted that the won remains under sustained depreciation pressure.

• The United States has maintained South Korea on its foreign exchange (FX) policy monitoring list, as announced in a report released on July 23. • South Korea remains among ten nations under scrutiny, including major economies such as China, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland.

• The Indian stock market experienced a downturn on July 24, 2026, with the Sensex dropping 300 points and the Nifty falling below 23,800 by noon. • Market volatility is being driven by renewed disruptions in West Asia, which have stalled flows in the Strait of Hormuz and pushed oil prices back toward US$100 per barrel.

• Investors are monitoring how the Middle East crisis may trigger oil price spikes, potentially forcing the U.S. Federal Reserve to delay interest rate cuts and strengthen the U.S. dollar. • Japan and South Korea face significant currency risks as they raise domestic interest rates to combat inflation driven by oil shocks originating in the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi Arabia.

• The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Thursday that 10 major trading partners, including China, Japan, and Thailand, will remain on its currency watchlist. • Other nations under monitoring include Germany, Ireland, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Vietnam, as Washington tracks potentially unfair foreign exchange practices.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) has unveiled ten shortlisted design proposals for new euro banknotes. • To determine the final selection, the ECB's Governing Council has launched an online public survey inviting citizens across Europe to vote on their preferred designs.

• European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde has unveiled 10 design options for a new generation of euro banknotes. • The proposed designs are divided into two thematic categories: “European culture” and “rivers and birds.”

• The European Central Bank (ECB) has unveiled ten finalist designs for future euro banknotes, divided into two primary themes: culture and nature. • The culture theme features icons such as Leonardo da Vinci, Maria Callas, Beethoven, and Marie Curie, while the nature theme focuses on birds symbolizing European biodiversity.

• On July 23, 2026, the European Central Bank (ECB) unveiled ten shortlisted designs for the next series of euro banknotes. • The public is invited to participate in an online survey to provide feedback on the designs, which feature themes of European culture, rivers, and birds, until September 21, 2026.