ECB CHIEF ECONOMIST: RAISING EMPLOYMENT CONSISTENT WITH ECB’S PRICE STABILITY MANDATE

By Laurie Laird  LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank can pursue higher euro zone employment within the parameters of the Bank’s single mandate of achieving price stability, according to the ECB’s chief economist.  “The same factors needed to increase inflation will drive employment,” said ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane, in response to a question […]

ECB’S SCHNABEL SUGGESTS EXTENDING TIME FRAME TO RETURN INFLATION TO TARGET

— Rate setter says the Bank has lost the “trust” of the public By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) — A key European Central Bank official Tuesday suggested adjustments to bank’s mandate, particularly the timing of returning inflation to target, while hinting that historically-loose monetary policy could become ever-less effective in stimulating economic growth. “It could […]

ECB’S LAGARDE URGES GOV’T, PRIVATE EQUITY SUPPORT FOR EUROPEAN TECH

–Lagarde Makes No Mention of Monetary Policy in Address to Frankfurt Banking Conference By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – Up-and-coming European technology firms could greatly benefit from more extensive support from governments and from the private equity industry, according to the continent’s top central banker, outlining her views on the future of employment in a post-Covid […]

ECB’S LAGARDE: ASSET PURCHASES, CHEAP FINANCING ARE KEY TOOLS VS LATEST DOWNTURN

By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) –  Europe’s top central banker suggested that expanded asset purchases and enhancements to the Bank’s long-term finance scheme are best suited to counter the latest eurozone downturn, while urging national governments to keep the fiscal taps flowing. “While all options are on the table, the pandemic emergency purchase programme (PEPP) […]

LAGARDE HINTS AT REINTERPRETATION OF ECB MANDATE

–– Repeats HICP May Not Accurately Reflect Eurozone Inflation By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The leader of the European Central Bank hinted at a reinterpretation of the Bank’s price stability mandate and raised questions over the accuracy of the Bank’s key measure of inflation. “We have to be smart about the components that go […]

TOP ECB OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS SYMMETRICAL INFLATION TARGET, RATE CUTS

—Governing Council’s Mersch Expresses Lukewarm Support for Lagarde By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) — A top European Central banker Monday expressed opposition to a symmetrical inflation target and raised questions over the efficacy of further rate cuts, while withholding full support for the central bank’s leader. “Symmetry does not mean that we would engage in […]

ECB, BOE SEE NO SILVER BULLET IN COVID VACCINE

–Both CenBanks Expected to Adjust Policy in December –Fed’s Powell Sees More Tech-Oriented, Less Job-Oriented Recovery By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – Europe’s top central bankers welcomed the positive news on a Covid vaccine unveiled earlier this week, but warned that the region faces more economic pain before an inoculation becomes widely available. European Central […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- OF TRADITION AND LEGACY

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Wednesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Veterans Day saw the opening of the National Museum of the United States Army, a beautiful huge structure situated in the immense Fort Belvoir, one of the U.S. military’s most high tech installations […]

ECB’S KNOT: COVID VACCINE DOES NOT DISPEL ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

— Stresses Fiscal Policy Must Undertake Havy Lifting Vs Q4 Downturn By Laurie Laird  LONDON (MaceNews) – The rapid development of a Covid vaccine is unlikely to provide a quick fillip to the battered European economy, according to a top European Central Bank official.  While welcoming the announcement of positive medical trial results released on […]

ECB RATE SETTER SEES VALUE IN A SYMMETRICAL INFLATION TARGET

— Bundesbank’s Weidmann refuses to rule out further ECB  rate cuts By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) –  A key European Central Bank official Thursday expressed support for symmetrical inflation targeting, and suggested that the Bank could cut rates further into negative territory to lift stubbornly-low Eurozone inflation back to target. A “make-up” strategy that allows […]