After rolling out the SMS banking services in December 2007, Union Bank of

Frankfurt - The European Central Bank meets Thursday with surging inflation expected to result in the ECB leaving rates on hold at 4.0 per cent for the 12th month in a row.

Frankfurt -

Bratislava  - Slovakia's central bank kept its key interest rate steady Tuesday, leaving it just above eurozone levels as the ex- communist nation prepares to adopt the euro on January 1.

The benchmark two-week repo rate stayed at 4.25 per cent, its level since April 2007. The European Central Bank's key lending rate is 4 per cent.

Slovakia is awaiting formal approval by EU governments to become the eurozone's 16th member and the first from the former Soviet bloc.

The ECB this month cleared Slovakia to use the euro but expressed concern that authorities keep inflation under control, making it difficult to trim interest rates for now.