ECB to beef up stimulus as second virus wave bites

FRANKFURT AM MAIN – The European Central Bank is set to unleash more stimulus for the eurozone at its last meeting of the year on Thursday, as the region’s battered economy grapples with a second coronavirus wave.

ECB chief Christine Lagarde in October all but promised that extra support was on the way, when she said the Frankfurt institution would “recalibrate” its instruments in December.

The ECB will also unveil fresh economic forecasts likely to have been revised downwards after a spike in virus cases forced renewed shutdowns across Europe, although the prospect of mass vaccinations from next year could brighten the longer term outlook.

Analysts widely…