Wellink says growth pickup may see rates higher

European Central Bank council member Nout Wellink said Monday 9 January a pickup in economic growth raises the chances of further increases in interest rates.

``With given inflation expectations, with the economy getting stronger, the chance of a rate rise increases,'' Wellink said on a Dutch public television talk show. He declined to say when he expects the ECB to make its next move.

``There are ECB council members, including me, who say this is long from being the interest rate in a balanced