Euro briefly spikes after ECB minutes

Frankfurt (Feb 22)  The euro reversed a brief spike on Thursday and was flat on the day after minutes from a European Central Bank meeting last month showed policymakers felt it was too early to change their communication stance to signal a policy shift.

The single currency was flat on the day after briefly rising 0.2 percent to the day's highs at $1.23085.

Discussion over tweaking the bank's stance could still start early this year but policymakers concluded the bank needed to avoid abrupt adjustments and to keep a close eye on the euro's firming, according to the minutes. European bonds and stocks were broadly unmoved by the minutes.

Reuters