EUROZONE OCTOBER MANUFACTURING PMIS HIT TWO-YEAR HIGH
–Germany Accounts For Much Of Rise By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) — Business activity at European factories accelerated to a more than two-year high in October, according to purchasing managers’ indexes released by IHS Markit on Monday, confirming the European Central Bank’s forecast of continuing industrial strength. The Eurozone manufacturing PMI jumped to 54.8 last […]
BANK OF ITALY’S VISCO: EZ DEFLATION RISK MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED’
By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – The Bank of Italy governor Ignazio Visco warned on Friday “not to overlook” the risk of deflation in the eurozone even though current deflationary risks are lower than they were six months ago. “The probability of deflation is still very lower, however, the share of operators expecting an inflation […]
STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY – STOWING THE AMMO BEFORE ELECTION DAY
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. · Does anyone still care that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin exchanged letters, each listing the deficiencies in the other’s position on pandemic relief. Suffice to say they’re far […]
ECB TEES UP DECEMBER EASING; LEAVES POLICY ON HOLD AT LATEST MEETING
–Lagarde Leaves Door Open to Earlier Eemergency Meeting If Needed –‘Very Attentive to Exchange Rates’ By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank Thursday pledged to “recalibrate” its monetary policy by the end of the year, but left the door open to an emergency consultation of its rate-setting body should the economic picture […]
ECB LEAVES POLICY UNCHANGED; SUGGESTS DECEMBER EASING
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank made no changes to its monetary policy at its rate-setting meeting on Thursday, but suggested that a package of easing measures could come before year end. Unusually, the Governing Council’s opened its press release by acknowledging the perilous state of the eurozone economy: “In the […]
ECB HINTS AT REFINEMENT OF ‘PRICE STABILITY’ GOAL IN STRATEGY REVIEW
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank could refine its approach to achieving price stability during its delayed strategy review, assessing its inflation target and the components of the inflation basket, according to top rate setters Wednesday. The ECB has resumed a strategy review halted by the COVID pandemic, an evaluation that […]
ECB’S MERSCH: SUSTAINED EU FISCAL STIMULUS REQUIRES TREATY CHANGE
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – A top European central banker praised the eurozone’s fiscal response to the Covid-induced economic downturn but warned that further stimulus would most likely require a legal change to the roles of European institutions. Far from establishing a precedent for further fiscal integration, the European Commission’s €750 million fiscal package […]
ECB MINUTES HINT AT GOVERNING COUNCIL CONCERN OVER EURO STRENGTH
—President Lagarde Downplayed Forex Moves Following September Rate-setting Meeting By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – Members of the European Central Bank’s rate-setting body spoke extensively about euro appreciation at the September governing council gathering, belying the indifference of ECB top guard immediately following the event. Minutes of that meeting released Thursday contain numerous references to […]
ECB’S SCHNABEL RAISES THE ALARM ON EU BANKING SECTOR
—But BOE’s Bailey Hails Health of UK banks at Banking Stability Conference By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – A top European Central Bank official lamented the health of the European banking sector, calling for greater integration and risk sharing across the eurozone. The return on equity for eurozone banks fell to 0.01% at the end […]
ECB’S LAGARDE: ASSET PURCHASES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN RATE CUTS FOR NOW
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) — The European Central Bank will continue to rely on asset purchases as its main policy tool, but is not averse to further rate cuts down the line, according to ECB President Christine Lagarde. Rate cuts “work better in certain circumstances … not necessarily in a crisis situation as we […]