Flat loan growth heralds more ECB easing: analysts

Growth in borrowing by businesses and households in the eurozone remained flat in September, the European Central Bank said Thursday, fuelling expectations it will extend its unconventional monetary policy beyond existing deadlines. Policy measures from the ECB are designed to stimulate lending to the real economy, allowing people and businesses to invest and the economy to grow. Overall, there was 1.8 percent growth in lending in September compared with 1.3 percent the previous month.