keep rates at 4.25 percent

Economists had seen the decision to keep rates at 4.25 percent as a near certainty following a 25-basis point increase last month, and Trichet broadly stuck to the Governing Council's monetary policy stance set after its July policy meeting.

Trichet said the ECB had no bias or pre-commitment on future rate moves, and stressed its focus on inflation, but markets viewed his comments on growth as effectively ruling out any further rate rises this year.