The European Central Bank (ECB) will act to achieve its inflation goal, but only gradually, President Christine Lagarde said Monday. Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Monday, Lagarde said there would only be a key interest rate hike once net bond purchases had also ended. Lagarde repeated statements already made recently, saying that she had no longer ruled out a key interest rate increase this year. The strong rise in consumer prices is putting pressure on the ECB. The inflation rate in the eurozone had risen to 5.1% in January. The ECB is aiming for an inflation rate of 2%…