WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The European Central Bank's half point interest rate cut on Thursday is appropriate and reflects a further weakening in the global and European economies, the International Monetary Fund said.

"The cut reflects further weakening in global and European economies and is necessary to stem disinflationary pressures from the negative feedback between the financial sector and the real economy," IMF spokesman David Hawley told a regular briefing for reporters on Thursday.

With the deepening global economic crisis, the euro-area was now in recession, which is expected to deepen, before making a slow recovery later in 2009, Hawley added.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Neil Stempleman)