Europe
ECB's Papademos on the reformed stability pact
In the speech 'The political economy of the reformed Stability and Growth Pact: implications for fiscal and monetary policy' given on 3 June, Lucas Papademos of the ECB said the relaxation of the EU stability pact's rules could affect ECB interest rate…
ECB's Noyer rejects euro ditching talk
European Central Bank Governing Council Member Christian Noyer has dismissed talk suggesting countries may leave the euro and said the rejection of the European Union's constitution by two of its founding members did not threaten the single currency.
Optimist joins ECB in gloomy times
This article profiles Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, who joined the European Central Bank's executive board on 1 June. All indications suggest that Bini Smaghi, far from rocking the boat, is firmly on board with the ECB's current approach to monetary policy, it…
Issing on the monetary pillar of the ECB
In the speech 'The monetary pillar of the ECB' given on 3 June Otmar Issing of the ECB said the ECB's monetary policy has been an undisputed success since the launch of the euro in 1999.
ECB's Financial Stability Review, June 2005
The European Central Bank published its June 2005 Financial Stability Review on 31 May. In the report the ECB said the outlook for financial stability is more mixed than six months ago.
ECB book on 3rd Central Banking Conference
The European Central Bank on Monday 30 May published a book entitled "The New EU Member States: Convergence and Stability", containing the proceedings of the Third ECB Central Banking Conference, held in Frankfurt am Main on 21 and 22 October 2004.
Trichet on financial markets integration in Europe
In the speech 'Financial markets integration in Europe: the ECB's view' given on 26 May, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said we are at a particularly crucial stage in terms of the regulation of EU securities markets and more in general financial…
Issing on the euro & financial market integration
In the speech 'The euro and European financial market integration' given on 31 May, Otmar Issing of the ECB said euro zone commercial banks adjust their borrowing and lending rates more quickly in response to central bank interest rate changes than they…
ECB weighs reshaping exec board, Trichet role
A major shake-up of jobs on the European Central Bank's Executive Board is under discussion and could lead to president Jean-Claude Trichet and his deputy taking a more prominent role in shaping monetary policy, this article says.
Central banks feel the pinch
A falling dollar and low yields on traditional assets have hit balance sheets hard. Central Banking reports.
The pact’s last stand
Political tensions have been contained by the deal on deficits, but at what cost to Europe’s fiscal regime and its single currency? William Clarke reports from Brussels.
News Analysis: News in debt
Paul Brione reports on controversial trades, very long bonds and over-issuance in sovereign debt markets.
ECB's Papademos on monetary stability, integration
In the speech 'Monetary stability and financial integration in Europe' given on 9 May Lucas Papademos of the ECB said the ECB is committed to, and will continue to support, the process of structural reform in financial markets, as well as in labour and…
Trichet says rates support growth, convergence
European Central Bank President Jean Claude Trichet said that lending rates at a six-decade low are ``appropriate'' and rejected finance ministers' concerns about economic divergences in the eurozone.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, May 2005
The European Central Bank published its May 2005 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 12 May. The regular survey of professional economic forecasters conducted by the ECB showed the experts have downgraded their growth forecasts for the euro zone economy for…
Duisenberg reveals political interference
European Central Bank ex-President Wim Duisenberg disclosed for the first time recently that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, French President Jacques Chirac and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have all tried to influence the ECB's monetary…
Cyprus, Malta, Latvia included in the ERM II
At request, the ministers of the euro area Member States of the European Union, the President of the ECB and the ministers and the central bank governors of Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia and the relevant central bank decided to include the Cyprus…
Rato says 'premature' to rule out ECB rate cut
International Monetary Fund managing director Rodrigo Rato said it would be "premature" to exclude interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank while the eurozone economy remains in "a soft patch".
What has Trichet achieved as the ECB's President?
Jean-Claude Trichet has now been president of the ECB for eighteen months, and if you measure his performance by the narrow mandate of price stability, then he has done his job, this article says. Yet if you were to gauge his performance by a wider…
ECB faces criticism from Germany, Italy
The European Central Bank came under fire this week when senior German and Italian politicians called on the eurozone central bank to change its policies to help boost Europe's weak economic growth rate.
Integrated markets should boost growth says Weber
More integration of financial markets should give Europe's long-term growth prospects a much-needed boost, European Central Bank Governing Council member Axel Weber said on Thursday 28 April.
ECB's Trichet calls for debate on company profits
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet has called for a European debate on the way company profits are distributed.
High oil prices 'handicap' eurozone says Issing
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said on Tuesday 26 April that the high price of oil is a "handicap" to the euro zone economy.
ECB report confirms reserve diversification plan
The European Central Bank confirmed in its annual report on Tuesday 26 April that it is working on significant changes to its foreign reserve management strategy that would allow diversification into different financial instruments.