Budapest - The European Central Bank has agreed to lend Hungary up to 5 billion euros (6.8 billion dollars) to help ease credit conditions, the ECB said Thursday.
The accord will help Hungary's central bank provide extra euro liquidity in the East European nation, the Frankfurt-based ECB said in a joint statement with the Hungarian Central Bank.
Euro-denominated loans are a key source of finance in Hungary, which joined the European Union in 2004 but has not switched to the euro.
Hungary's currency, the forint, regained some of Wednesday's losses against the euro after the announcement.