Goldman Sachs on Friday said it now expects the European Central Bank (ECB) to deliver its first interest rate cut in the second quarter of 2024, compared to an earlier forecast of a cut in the third quarter of next year.

The ECB raised its deposit rate to a record high 4 per cent via ten straight moves ending in September and sees inflation inching up in the coming months before coming back to its target in the second half of 2025.