JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming, Aug 25 Reuters European Central Bank policymakers are increasingly concerned about deteriorating growth prospects and, while the debate is still open, momentum for a pause in its rate hikes is building, eight sources with direct knowledge of the discussion said.

The ECB has raised rates at each of its past nine meetings to tame prices, most recently on July 27, when it left its options open for its next meeting in September, with policymakers divided between a pause and tightening further.

Conversations with eight policymakers in Europe and on the sidelines of the U.S. Federal Reserve39;s Jackson Hole symposium suggest the pause camp is now growing, after major economic indicators in the past six weeks came in below expectations, suggesting that a recession is now a distinct possibility.

The number of voices advocating a pause is multiplying as the data roll in, said one of the sources, who asked not to be named.

Several of the sources said they saw chances evenly split between a hike and a pause, while a smaller number saw a pause as more likely. But none said they saw a hike as the most likely outcome, even if that was their preference.

That marks a distinct shift from six weeks ago when a hike was still seen as most likely in September.

An ECB spokesperson declined to comment.

JOB NOT DONE

All the sources agreed, however, that even in case of a pause, the ECB would need to make clear its job was not done and that more policy tightening…