European Central Bank (ECB)
Fazio may face ECB probe
The European Central Bank may decide at its council meeting Thursday 15 December to open a formal inquiry into Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio's links with former Banca Popolare Italiana CEO Gianpiero Fiorani, said Corriere della Sera in an…
The ECB's path that was not taken
The ECB risks painting itself into a corner following its recent interest-rate hike, according to this article published on Monday 12 December. The move implies more increases will follow, it says, and that will cost the Eurozone economies heavily.
ECB's Liebscher sees no more hikes 'at the moment'
ECB Governing Council member Klaus Liebscher said in a media interview that the eurozone central bank is not planning any further rate rises for now but will keep a close watch on new economic data.
Quaden notes rates favour euro zone growth
European Central Bank council member Guy Quaden told Belgian TV that the ECB's benchmark rate can still foster economic growth and that policy makers haven't decided whether to add to this month's increase in rates.
ECB's Liikanen says rates support growth
European Central Bank Governing Council member Erkki Liikanen said on Monday 12 December that eurozone interest rates are low and support growth.
Stark tipped as Issing's replacement at ECB
Germany wants to hold its seat on the European Central Bank's executive board and could nominate Bundesbank Vice President Juergen Stark to replace Otmar Issing next year, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Mirow said in an interview this week.
ECB's Bini Smaghi on economic forecasting
In the speech 'Economic forecasting and monetary policy' given on 8 December Lorenzo Bini Smaghi of the ECB hinted that further interest rate increases may be on the way for the euro zone.
Greece's Garganas: ECB won't follow Fed rate rises
The European Central Bank won't follow the US Federal Reserve's practise of continuous interest rate hikes, Bank of Greece governor and ECB Governing Council member Nicholas Garganas said Friday 9 December.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, December 2005
The European Central Bank published its December 2005 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 8 December. In the report the ECB defended its decision to raise its key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point earlier this month, saying that the move was…
IMF's Rajan urges caution on further ECB rate hike
IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan has called on the European Central Bank to wait for evidence that an economic recovery is taking hold in the euro zone before raising interest rates again.
Mersch says ECB ready to act when necessary
The European Central Bank has not determined what or when its next move will be, but would act if it felt the need to raise rates again, ECB Governing Council member Yves Mersch told a German newspaper.
ECB's Issing on fiscal and monetary policies
In the speech 'The role of fiscal and monetary policies in the stabilisation of the economic cycle' given on 14 November Otmar Issing of the ECB said the ECB always aims to take timely action to address inflation risks but it also has to avoid reacting…
Ireland's Hurley supports ECB rate rise
Ireland's central bank governor John Hurley has defended the ECB's quarter point rate hike last week, saying it will dampen the threat of inflation across the eurozone.
Comment: Reshuffle at the ECB?
When Otmar Issing retires from the ECB's 6-member executive board next year, Germany's seat is likely to be taken by Jurgen Stark, currently vice-president of the German Bundesbank.
Score so far is ECB, 1; Unsolicited advisers, 0
This article published on Thursday 1 December looks at the ECB's decision to raise interest rates at its most recent meeting, saying Europe's finance ministers would be better served by putting their own houses in order rather than telling Monsieur…
ECB and NCBs release joint statistics
On Tuesday the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks (NCBs) of the euro area for the first time released joint tables of euro area statistics and their national breakdowns on their websites.
Quaden says eurozone rates now 'appropriate'
Belgian National Bank governor Guy Quaden has called the level of European Central Bank interest rates "appropriate" for the emerging recovery of the eurozone.
ECB's Weber worries over credit growth
The European Central Bank's mid- to long-term strategy is at risk from the pace of credit growth in the euro zone and this danger must be countered, ECB Governing Council member Axel Weber was quoted as saying on Sunday 4 December.
Trichet tight-lipped on future of ECB rates
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet declined to comment on Friday 2 December on the possibility of further rises in euro zone interest rates.
ECB Council Members back rate decision
European Central Bank council members Christian Noyer, Axel Weber, and Klaus Liebscher came out in defense of Thursday's decision to raise eurozone interest rates, saying it won't hurt economic growth.
Comment: IMF criticises ECB's move
The decision by the ECB to increase interest rates by 25 basis points has come in for a fair amount of criticism in the press and from market analysts. On Thursday 1 December the eurozone's central bank received another stinging blow.
Trichet on growth potential & structural reforms
In the speech 'Growth potential, labour productivity and structural reforms in Europe' given on 10 November Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said we need structural reforms to make sure that the soil is fertile enough for the seeds of technological…
ECB raises rates, but says no series planned
The European Central Bank raised its main interest rate, for the first time in five years, by 0.25% to 2.25% on Thursday 1 December in a move that had been widely expected.
ECB paper: Near-rational exuberance
This ECB Working Paper published November 2005 studies how the use of judgement or "add-factors" in macroeconomic forecasting may disturb the set of equilibrium outcomes when agents learn using recursive methods.