[originaltext] The European Central Bank released a new round of measures to

The European Central Bank released a new round of measures to stimulate the economy, including lowering interest rates more. The financial moves announced Thursday are the latest efforts to lift the economy of the 19 countries that use the euro. The European Central Bank, or ECB, cut all three of its main interest rates. The bank also increased its monthly financial asset-buying program. Officials at the ECB hope banks will lend more money to businesses and consumers to help the region’s economy. The Eurozone economy has had low economic growth for many years. Growth was 0.3 percent in the last three months of last year.
    The ECB’s cuts to three main interest rates it controls took effect on March 16. The rate for deposits with the central bank was cut further to negative 0.4 percent. The negative interest rate means that depositors pay the bank instead of receiving interest payments. The unusual measure is meant to encourage banks to lend money rather than keep it with the central bank. The ECB also said it would increase the purchase of bonds from 60 billion euros each month to 80 billion euros. The move puts more money into financial institutions that hold the bonds, putting more money into the Eurozone economy.
    The measures are similar to tactics that the U.S. central bank used to boost the American economy during the last world financial crisis. Since then, the U.S. economy has recovered. The unemployment rate now stands at 4.9 percent. However, central bank policymakers are dissatisfied with economic growth. Many workers are still looking for better-paying, full-time jobs rather than the part-time work they accepted. Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, behind the U.S. and China, has been dealing with deflation for many years. Some experts hope the bank will place fees on savings and force companies to sharply increase wages.
    In the Eurozone, the jobless rate is down from its peak of 12.1 percent, but was still at 10.3 percent this January. European Central Bank president Mario Draghi said, "The bank’s new measures show that we can still take actions. Rates will stay low, very low, for a long period of time and well past the horizon of our purchases of assets." But he added, "Taking into account the support of our measures to growth and inflation, we don’t anticipate that it will be necessary to reduce rates further."
19 What action did the ECB take recently?
20 Why did the ECB cut its deposit rate to negative 0.4 percent?
21 What is American central bank policymakers’ attitude towards its economy?