Amsterdam (APA/Reuters/dpa) - The European Central Bank (ECB) will end its multi-billion net bond purchases on 1 July, paving the way for the first interest rate hike in the euro area in eleven years.Amsterdam (APA/Reuters/dpa) - The European Central Bank (ECB) will end its multi-billion net bond purchases on 1 July, paving the way for the first interest rate hike in the euro area in eleven years.eleven years. This was decided by the ECB at its external meeting in Amsterdam on Thursday, as announced by the central bank in Frankfurt. This is considered a preliminary stage of an interest rate increase, which should then follow from July. The key interest rate is currently at 0.0 per cent, the deposit rate for banks at minus 0.5 per cent. An increase of 0.25 points is expected in July. This should be followed by an increase in September.