BlockBeats News, December 14 — The Financial Times analysis indicates that with European Central Bank Governor Lagarde stating that the bank is in a "good condition," investors broadly expect the European Central Bank to keep its benchmark interest rate at 2% next week, shifting focus to their economic forecasts. This week, Lagarde said policymakers might revise their eurozone growth forecasts upward again at the upcoming meeting. These stronger growth forecasts, combined with persistent inflation, have recently led traders to increase bets that the European Central Bank will raise interest rates next year. However, given that the potential for changing monetary policy direction remains debated, and that futures market prices have only recently begun to show some change in the past few weeks, traders will pay close attention to clues about the timing of rate hikes, with any adjustments to the policy signals expected to be very subtle. George Moran, a Euro-area economist at the Royal Bank of Canada, said he expects the European Central Bank will not raise rates in 2026, as "cyclical momentum may be only temporary." He added that the European Central Bank has "made it clear that it does not want to overreact to temporary deviations from its target."