Europe
ECB, BOJ right on wait and see policy says OECD
OECD chief economist Jean-Philippe Cotis said that the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan are right to maintain a "wait and see" positions in their monetary policies.
ECB chief economist says Pact losing its bite
The European Central Bank's chief economist has described the current status of the eurozone's Stability and Growth Pact as 'intolerable'. Otmar Issing told the German newspaper Die Welt that without a credible threat of sanctions, the pact was 'losing…
Juncker confirmed as Mr Euro
Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was named on Friday 10 September as the first "Mr Euro", a political figurehead to represent the 12-nation eurozone.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, September 2004
The European Central Bank published its September 2004 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 9 September, saying that "strong vigilance" is needed to ensure that inflation slows below 2 percent next year as an economic recovery in the eurozone strengthens and oil…
Tumpel-Gugerell on the Single Euro Payments Area
In the speech 'Time to act: clear objectives and a convincing roadmap for the Single Euro Payments Area' given on 6 September, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said to achieve the Single Euro Payments Area, it's best for the European Payments Council…
Almunia not expecting ECB objection to Pact change
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia has said the European Central Bank is not expected to oppose possible changes to the stability and growth pact.
EU set to relax eurozone budget rules
The European Union was set to propose loosening its much-criticised budget rules supporting the euro on Friday 3 September, by allowing countries with economic troubles to be exempt from the uniform standard for deficits in favour of country specific…
Papademos at the Euro Banknote Design Exhibition
In a speech at the Opening of the Euro Banknote Design Exhibition given on 11 August, Lucas Papademos of the ECB said our common currency, the euro, whose creation has inspired the many attractive designs that are on display here, also stands for a…
ECB press conference with questions and answers
At the ECB's press conference on Thursday 2 September, after holding eurozone interest rates unchanged, Jean-Claude Trichet said looking ahead, the conditions for a continuation of the recovery remain in place. We expect the economic recovery in the euro…
Poll thinks ECB unlikely to increase rates
A recent poll of economists showed that there are strong expectations that the ECB will not raise interest rates until the first half of 2005, waiting for proof of a pickup in consumer demand which would protect against a global slowdown.
ECB study finds inflation targets do work
A recently published working paper by the European Central Bank investigates the impact of inflation targeting, and concludes that explicit inflation targets do have a significant effect on inflation expectations and persistence.
ECB's Guy Quaden says no rate rise
In an interview with L'Echo on 12 August, Guy Quaden offered reassurances that the ECB had no plans to raise interest rates in the immediate future.
Interview with ECB's Lucas Papademos
In an interview published by Il Sole 24 Ore this week, vice President of the European Central Bank Lucas Papademos said that since last April the ECB has preferred to cease using the word "appropriate" so as to dispel the impression that had prevailed in…
ECB Monthly Bulletin, August 2004
The European Central Bank published its August 2004 Monthly Bulletin on 12 August. In the Bulletin the ECB said rising oil prices may hurt the economy in the 12 eurozone nations and keep inflation above the bank's limit into early next year.
Eurozone recovery at risk, says IMF
The eurozone's recovery remains fragile and is vulnerable to weak consumer demand and the risk of a further rise in the already strong euro, the International Monetary Fund warned the single currency's member states on Tuesday.
Dallas Fed's McTeer on transparency
In a speech given on 13 July Bob McTeer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said that Europe seems to be doing better economically, but what it greatly needs are economic reforms - especially labour market reforms-to give them good job growth.
OECD report says ECB should hold rates steady
The European Central Bank (ECB) will probably keep interest rates in the dozen euro nations at their six-decade low for the rest of the year to help an economic recovery still threatened by "large risks," the Organization for Economic Co-operation and…
Future rate level not 'pre-decided' :ECB's Quaden
The European Central Bank probably won't raise interest rates soon as it forecasts that inflation will ease next year, the Financial Times reported, citing ECB governing council member Guy Quaden in an interview.
OECD sees growth threat from eurozone deficits
The OECD warned on Tuesday 27 July in its latest survey of the eurozone that high deficits, such as those faced by France and Germany, are the eurozone's biggest economic problem.
New security features for euro banknotes planned
A new series of euro banknotes with improved security features to combat forgery will be issued by the end of the decade, the Bundesbank board member responsible for banknotes, Franz-Christoph Zeitler, told Focus magazine.
ECB information on the counterfeiting of the euro
In the first half of 2004, a total of 307,223 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation, the European Central Bank (ECB) said on 22 July.
ECB's Weber: No inflation pressure in medium-term
The European Central Bank "does not currently see inflationary pressures in the medium term" in the 12-country eurozone, Bundesbank President Axel Weber said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday 22 July.
ECB's Issing sees stronger eurozone growth
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said he expects next year's growth in the euro area will gain further strength and the inflation rate would be below 2pc.
ECB Memoranda of Understanding
The ECB issued a news release on Wednesday 21 July announcing the adherence of the central banks and banking supervisors of the New Member States to the Memoranda of Understanding on High Level Principles of Co-operation in Crisis Management Situations…