Interest rate historically low

The Dutch long-term interest rate, based on the return of the most recent ten-year government loan, averaged 2.9 percent in June 2010, i.e. 0.1 of a percent point lower than in May. This is the lowest level for a number of decades.

The latest change in the European Central Bank’s (ECB) interest rates dates from May 2009. The most important ECB interest rate, the repo rate, was cut by a quarter of a percent point and has been 1.0 percent since 13 May 2009. The ECB deposit rate remained unchanged at 0.25 percent. The deposit rate is often regarded as the bottom rate on the interest market.

One of the main guidelines for the ECB’s decision to change or refrain from changing the interest rate is the level of inflation in the eurozone. According to the ECB, prices in the eurozone are stable if the inflation rate is close to 2 percent. Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, recorded an inflation rate of 1.4 percent in the eurozone in June 2010.

Capital market interest rate (latest ten-year government bond)