Euro zone growth slowdown normal and in part temporary: Draghi

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A gradual slowdown in euro zone growth is normal and may be in part temporary, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Monday, arguing that his assessment for inflation has not changed even if growth is weaker than earlier thought.

"There is good reason to be confident that underlying inflation will gradually rise in the period ahead," Draghi said. "Recent developments confirm the Governing Council's earlier assessments of the medium-term inflation outlook."

(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Alison Williams)