Euro zone economic growth has been weaker in recent months than expected and downside risks to the economy are clearly materialising, European Central Bank policymaker Mario Centeno said on Wednesday.

"We have been surprised on the downside with regard to the numbers for the economy," Centeno, Portugal's central bank chief, told the Reuters Global Markets Forum.

The ECB will next meet on Sept. 14 and whether it hikes rates again or hold them remains an open question, but Centeno noted that the rate would remain at a level that restricts economic activity for some time.

 

Join GMF, a chat room hosted on Refinitiv Messenger: https://tinyurl.com/yyr3x6pu) (Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Alison Williams)