ECB keeps key interest rate on hold

The European Central Bank has decided to keep benchmark rates steady at an historical low of 1.0 percent, keeping to monetary policy that's been in place for eight straight months.

ECB Chief, Jean-Claude Trichet, says economic activity in the euro zone has expanded since the end of 2009, but this could be temporary. Also on Thursday, Danish central bank Nationalbanken cut lending rates by 0.1 of a percentage point to 1.05 percent.