The European Central Bank is all but certain to raise interest rates on Thursday in the hope of nipping higher inflation in the bud before a surge in energy costs triggered by the Iran war spreads more broadly across the euro zone economy. The well-telegraphed move would come as inflation in the 21-country currency bloc is already above 3%, well in excess of the ECB's 2% target, and economic growth is very weak - a backdrop that has economists split over the case for tighter policy.