[Barclays: If energy prices remain high, the European Central Bank may raise interest rates this year] Jin10 Data, March 19 – The European Central Bank will release its latest quarterly growth and inflation forecasts on Thursday, although these forecasts will not fully reflect the impact of the Iran war on energy prices. More importantly, the bank is expected to present some scenarios outlining how the economy might evolve if the conflict ends quickly or persists. Barclays economists stated that if Brent crude oil prices stabilize at $100 per barrel (roughly the current level) and natural gas prices stabilize at €70 per megawatt-hour (about €15 higher than Wednesday's level), the European Central Bank will raise interest rates. They wrote in a report: 'Overall and core inflation may rise to such an extent that the situation of exceeding the European Central Bank's target in the medium term becomes significant and persistent, leading to an increase in policy rates later this year. However, the macroeconomic and monetary outlook will also depend on the fiscal response to this crisis.'