Europe
Will ECB match hawkish rhetoric with rate hike?
This article published on Friday 21 October reports that the ECB's more hawkish tone has got futures markets speculating that eurozone interest rates could be about to change.
Interview with ECB's Trichet
ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia this week that the ECB was committed to maintaining steady prices. "As regards our present position, I said in Athens on 6 October that the present interest rate of 2…
Comment: Slipping behind on the euro
When ten new countries joined the EU in May last year, they did so promising that one day they would adopt the euro as their currency. At the time it seemed they hardly needed any coercing - joining the euro was something policymakers in these countries…
EU banking sector stability report
The European Central Bank published a report on EU banking sector stability, prepared by the Banking Supervision Committee of the European System of Central Banks on 17 October.
ECB to act decisively if needed says Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said in a letter to a member of the European Parliament that the ECB would 'act decisively' if the rise in oil prices pushed domestic prices higher.
Issing: ECB will act if inflation 'out of control'
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said in an interview that the ECB will not hesitate to raise interest rates if medium-term inflation pressures increase.
Euro losing allure for EU newcomers
According to this article published on Tuesday 11 October, the EU's single currency seems to have lost its allure for several of the 10 countries that joined the bloc in May last year.
ECB report on EU banking structures
The European Central Bank on Friday 7 October published a report on EU banking structures, prepared by the Banking Supervision Committee of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB).
Comment: Trichet on European reforms
In order to enhance or even maintain its economic prospects, Europe needs substantial economic reforms. While continental electorates appear reluctant to accept this argument, it has become the battle cry of the European centre-right and international…
Almunia sees better eurozone growth by year end
European Union Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Joaquin Almunia spoke on Thursday 6 October of his confidence that the eurozone will return better growth figures by the end of the year, than had been recorded recently.
ECB's Weber says globalisation lowers inflation
European Central Bank Governing Council member and Bundesbank President Axel Weber said on Tuesday 4 October that globalization tends to lead to lower inflation.
Wellink warns against protectionism over China
Dutch central bank President and ECB Governing Council member Nout Wellink said Monday 3 September that European countries shouldn't resort to protectionism as a response to increased competition from China.
ECB's Trichet on European financial integration
In the speech 'European financial integration' given on 3 October Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said a lack of integration in EU mortgage markets carries costs for both housebuyers and banks.
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on euro payments area
European Central Bank executive board member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell said foreign banks will take the leading role in restructuring the European banking sector if domestic banks move too slowly to create a single eurozone payments area.
Bank system stability: cross-Atlantic perspective
This ECB Working Paper derives indicators of the severity and structure of banking system risk from asymptotic interdependencies between banks' equity prices.
ECB's Mersch warns on inflation effect from oil
European Central Bank council member Yves Mersch said in an interview on Wednesday 28 September that oil prices at current levels risk boosting wages and feeding inflation.
The ECB: Villain, or a savior of Europe?
According to this article published on Saturday 24 September, the challenges facing the European Central Bank are particularly acute, with the ECB under fire for refusing to deviate from its inflation-fighting mandate in order to stoke growth through…
Interview with ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet
In an interview published on Wednesday 21 September, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet called for determined economic reforms from the next German government as well as other European nations.
Hurricanes may delay US current account correction
European Central Bank board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said in an interview that costs resulting from hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico could mean that the US will be unable to correct its large current account deficit for some time.
Liebscher says property prices won't influence ECB
European Central Bank Governing Council member and Austrian Central Bank Governor Klaus Liebscher said in an interview that the ECB would not raise interest rates solely as a result of rising real estate prices in some eurozone countries.
EU calls for single payment area by 2010
Charlie McCreevy, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services said on Tuesday 20 September that banks must create a single pan-EU system for payments by 2010, a demand the European Commission will underpin by legislation.
Central Europe: What's delaying the euro
Momentum in Central Europe to adopt the euro as soon as possible has diminished, this article reports. The big obstacle, it says, is budget deficits.
Uniform accounting rules face hurdles in Europe
This article published on Tuesday 13 September says that although the path to uniform and stricter global accounting rules is paved with good intentions, problems have arisen in Europe that could delay the adoption of parts of International Accounting…
IMF says ECB rate cut not necessary yet
The European Central Bank is following a "broadly appropriate" monetary policy, and has no reason to cut interest rates at present, the International Monetary Fund's most senior European official said on Tuesday 13 September.