INSTANT VIEW-Economists' comments on ECB news conference

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Following are analysts' comments on remarks by European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet at a news conference on Thursday after the bank (kept its key interest rate at 4.0 percent).

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FIRAS ASKARI, HEAD OF FX TRADING, BMO CAPITAL MARKETS,

TORONTO

"He first started giving us the same old speech about inflation, though he has also mentioned the downside risks to growth and high uncertainty. He seems to be showing he's not oblivious to global concerns. But at the same time, most of the speech is about inflation, and most of the financial community in North America probably thinks the ECB is a little out of step with how serious this crisis is, especially with the Bank of England moving to ease policy today"

NICK KOUNIS, FORTIS BANK

"There are subtle changes in the language. The ECB sees a greater risk that the financial turmoil lasts longer, while there is a slight hardening in the language on inflation."

"The central message is unchanged -- that the ECB continues to be concerned about inflation developments over the medium term, and its main focus is preventing second-round effects from emerging."

"All this suggests the ECB will remain firmly on hold in coming months, and that the door for rate cuts remains closed."