ECB President Mario Draghi The ECB has not discussed normalization “You asked me about normalisation: was it being discussed? The answer is no.” Rates not expected to go lower “if you ask me now, “What do you expect?” I would … Continued
Inflation to pick up “Inflation has risen significantly in recent months, mainly due to oil price increases. However, core inflation, which excludes volatile energy and unprocessed food prices, has remained relatively stable and substantially below its long-term average. Inflation in … Continued
Mario Draghi, President of the ECB Solid recovery… “Incoming data since our meeting in early March confirm that the cyclical recovery of the euro area economy is becoming increasingly solid and that downside risks have further diminished. At the same … Continued
Conditions are improving in Europe “On the one hand, the evidence suggests that the acute deflation risks have disappeared and that inflation is set to pick up over the coming years. And contrary to a widespread perception, euro area economic … Continued
ECB rates unchanged and expected to stay lower for longer “… the interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 0.00%, 0.25% and -0.40% respectively. … Continued
A modest recovery in Europe “The recovery – albeit modest – is robust. We are growing and inflation is improving. Europe’s GDP has returned to its pre-crisis level, although this has taken seven and a half years…The main drivers behind … Continued
Jose Antonio Alvarez – Chief Executive Officer It´s a tough operating environment in mature markets “We are developing the business in a very challenging environment as you know for the retail banking, with very volatile capital markets, intensified after the … Continued
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pressconf/2016/html/is161020.en.html Same Old: As lower for longer rates continue “…we decided to keep the key ECB interest rates unchanged. We continue to expect them to remain at present or lower levels for an extended period of time, and well past … Continued
A 0% target inflation is not good for the economy “Sometimes people wonder whether price stability doesn’t mean inflation of 0%. It does not, because both inflation that is too high and inflation that is too low for too long … Continued
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-3043_en.htm An existential crisis is engulfing Europe “Our European Union is, at least in part, in an existential crisis… I have witnessed several decades of EU integration. There were many strong moments. Of course, there were many difficult times too, … Continued