1124 ET - An interest-rate hike by European Central Bank in September is possible but not certain, Berenberg's Felix Schmidt says in a note. Although the ECB's governing council voted unanimously to keep rates unchanged, some governors questioned whether an increase should be considered. The ECB is therefore keeping the door open to a potential hike in September, Schmidt says, though as President Christine Lagarde said, the burden of proof is on the data. "The ECB does not yet know how it will decide in seven weeks' time," he notes. The future path of rates will depend largely on how energy prices shift. "If these prices fall following the current spike, the ECB will probably stay put at the Sept. 10 meeting," he adds. (edward.frankl@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 23, 2026 11:24 ET (15:24 GMT)

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