[European Central Bank's Sleijpen Says Market's Rate Hike Expectations Are 'Reasonable'] European Central Bank Governing Council member Olaf Sleijpen believes that investors' bets on rate hikes this year are reasonable. "From the market's expectations, I wouldn't say their expectations are entirely wrong," he said on Thursday. "I think this is a reasonable expectation." The current market fully reflects expectations for two 0.25 percentage point rate hikes in the deposit rate, with the first hike expected in June. When discussing the policy meeting in April, Sleijpen stated that the European Central Bank still has several weeks to assess the Middle East situation. (Cailian Press)