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Athens - Greece's short-term borrowing costs tumbled on Tuesday, days after the crisis-hit country returned to medium-term international bond markets for the first time for four years. Athens paid 2.75 percent interest on 1.625 billion euros ($2.

Kiev - Ukraine's currency steadied on Tuesday from heavy falls after the crisis-hit country's central bank unexpectedly raised its key interest rate by nearly 50 percent to boost consumer confidence and stop spiralling inflation.

Washington - European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi said Saturday that the bank may need to take action to stem the rising euro."The strengthening of the exchange rate would require monetary stimulus" as long as interest rates are already extremely low, he said.

Washington - Federal Reserve policy makers expect to continue the steady cutback to its stimulus program, the minutes to their March 18-19 meeting showed Wednesday.

London - The Bank of England is forecast Thursday to freeze interest rates at a record-low 0.50 percent, amid caution over the strength of Britain's economic recovery, analysts said.

Washington - Austerity budgets and public spending cuts are less critical to economic health as interest rates in the major advanced economies remain historically low, the International Monetary Fund said Thursday.

Frankfurt - The European Central Bank held its key interest rates steady as widely expected on Thursday. The ECB left its central "refi" or refinancing rate unchanged at 0.25 percent at its monthly policy meeting, it said in a statement.

Braz - Brazil raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 11 percent, as Latin America's largest economy scrambled to contain inflation.

Mumbai - India's central bank kept key interest rates steady on Tuesday in a widely anticipated move less than a week before the start of national elections.

Budapest - Hungary's central bank cut its main interest rate to a record low 2.60 percent on Tuesday, in an effort to boost the economy before elections on April 6.