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The Latest: European Central Bank keeps stimulus in place

People walk past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, June 8, 2017. Asian stocks benchmarks were mostly edging Thursday as investors parsed economic data and awaited market-moving events in Europe, including Britain's general election and a European Central Bank meeting. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) People walk past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, June 8, 2017. Asian stocks benchmarks were mostly edging Thursday as investors parsed economic data and awaited market-moving events in Europe, including Britain's general election and a European Central Bank meeting. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

By Associated Press June 8, 2017 1 min read

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – The Latest on the European Central Bank’s monetary policy meeting (all times local):

1:50 p.m.

The European Central Bank has left its stimulus programs and record low interest rates unchanged, despite an accelerating economy in the 19 countries that use the euro currency.

The bank took a tiny step toward an eventual exit from the stimulus by dropping wording in its statement saying it could lower interest rates even further.

But the bank’s announcement Thursday reiterated that its stimulus in the form of monthly bond purchases could be stepped up if the economic outlook worsens.

Analysts expect that provision to be dropped in coming months as the bank edges toward announcing how it will phase out the bond purchases next year.

Europe’s economy grew 0.6 percent in the first quarter but ECB President Mario Draghi says the brighter outlook is largely the result of the stimulus and that recovery still needs support.