European Union flags flutter on the day European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde speaks to reporters following the Governing Council's monetary policy meeting in Frankfurt, Germany September 12, 2024.  Jana Rodenbusch | Reuters The European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold at its April meeting, despite a surge in inflation in the euro zone since the war in Iran began. The ECB's governing council opted to hold its benchmark deposit facility rate at 2% on Thursday. In a statement, the bank said that while its previous assessment of the inflation outlook was largely unchanged, "the upside risks to inflation and the downside risks to growth have intensified." It said its governing council remained committed to setting monetary policy to ensure that inflation stabilizes at the 2% target in the medium term.…