The European Central Bank (ECB) has increased its key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points, bringing it to 2.25 percent. This decision, announced Thursday, was widely anticipated by economists. While economists predict a moderate impact from this single rate hike, concerns about rising interest rates are already affecting the Finnish housing market. Nordea economist Juho Kostiainen confirmed the expected nature of the ECB’s move. The increase will likely translate to higher borrowing costs for Finnish homeowners with variable-rate mortgages. The overall economic impact remains to be seen, but the housing sector is showing early signs of sensitivity to the changing rate environment.