The European Central Bank has confirmed it will raise interest rates at its September meeting but has avoided signaling what comes next, leaving investors without clear forward guidance even though markets have largely priced in the move. Earlier Reuters reporting said policymakers were prepared to lift the deposit rate from 2.25% to 2.50% at the Sept. 9-10 meeting, following the first increase in nearly three years in June, while an RTE account cited a Sept. 12, 2026 meeting and a 3.75% deposit rate before the decision; those figures have not been reconciled. The euro held just above $1.165, near its highest level since mid-May, as investors weighed inflation near 3%, resilient euro-area activity, falling oil prices and Iran’s reported talks with Oman on managing the Strait of Hormuz. ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said rates may need to rise further if the Middle East conflict persists, although money markets price less than 40 basis points of additional tightening by year-end.