Or "0.25 puncte procentuale", maybe. I just wonder whether they mean (a) it will rise *to* 0.5% from 0.25%, or (b) it will rise *by* between 0.25% and 0.5% (in theory the sentence could mean either). In any case, they're talking about percentage points and we could paraphrase it as "a quarter of a percentage point."

They use "point" for these things in order to avoid ambiguity - they have in mind a scale of 0-100% for interest rates, of course. If the interest rate was, let's say, 10% and they simply said "it will rise by 0.25%", that would literally mean it would rise by 0.25% *of 10%*, which would actually equate to an increase of 0.025% (i.e. to 10.025%). But if they say "it will rise by a quarter point", they mean it will rise by 0.25% - i.e. from 10% to 10.25%.

"Politica monetara ramane una de acomodare, si banca centrala se afla intr-o alerta permanenta in ceea ce priveste nivelul inflatiei si factorii care o determina, a spus Jean Claude Trichet la conferinta ce a urmat sedintei de saptamana trecuta in care BCE a ridicat rata dobanzilor cu un sfert de punct procentual, pana la 3,5%, a sasea crestere din decembrie 2005 incoace, scrie Financial Times."
http://www.zf.ro/articol_105019/bce_ar_putea_majora_din_nou_...