Tag: ECB – European Central Bank

Europe Is a Mess—and It Will Affect the United States

Commentary NEW YORK—I can’t recollect in my adult lifetime of 40 years when so many crises are hitting Europe in so many different countries simultaneously while so many governments there are in disarray. Brexit was significant, but it was a singular phenomenon. This concatenation of troubles in Europe risks serious economic and geopolitical consequences not only…


European Central Bank Promises ‘Flexibility’ in Managing Balance Sheet Amid Debt Crisis Fears

The European Central Bank (ECB) tried to calm fears of a debt crisis following an emergency policy meeting on June 15 by promising “flexibility” while managing its huge balance sheet, as well as creating a new tool to tackle the risk of eurozone bond fragmentation. During a meeting the previous week, the ECB stated that…


European Central Bank Likely to Exit Negative Rate Policy by End of September: Bank President

The European Central Bank (ECB) will probably begin raising interest rates in July and exit negative territory by the end of September, said ECB President Christine Lagarde in her May 23 blog post. She said the bank could raise rates further to a neutral level if it sees inflation stabilizing at 2 percent. “If we…


ECB Has Room for 2–3 Rate Hikes This Year, Says Kazaks

FRANKFURT—The European Central Bank should raise interest rates soon and has room for up to three hikes this year, ECB policymaker Martins Kazaks told Reuters, joining a chorus of policymakers calling for a swift exit from stimulus. The ECB has been rolling back support at a glacial pace for months but a surge in inflation…


European Central Bank Pledges to End Bond Buying Soon

The European Central Bank (ECB) has pledged to end its bond-buying activities in a few months as the region battles high inflation rates. After looking at data since its previous meeting, the Governing Council, the main decision-making body of the ECB, judged in an April 14 meeting that net asset purchases under its asset purchase…


Inflation in the Eurozone Hits Record High as War in Ukraine Affects Energy Prices

Countries in the 19 nation Eurozone are facing skyrocketing inflation as the Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens to raise energy prices throughout Europe, according to numbers released on March 2. Consumer prices in the EU jumped 5.8 percent from a year ago in February, up from 5.1 percent the previous month, the fourth straight month…


European Central Bank Policymakers Surprised With Inflation High of 5 Percent in December

Eurozone inflation hit a new record high of 5 percent in December 2021, raising more questions about the competency of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) monetary policy, which claimed that inflation was transitory. Inflation rose unexpectedly last month, making things more uncomfortable for the ECB authorities, who have consistently underestimated price pressures and the heavy…