Eurozone
Issing to leave ECB but monetarism lives on
Otmar Issing's legacy is set to continue, despite his retirement from the European Central Bank at the end of the month, according to this article published Friday 5 May.
Europe must relax inflation test for euro entrants
According to this article by Willem Buiter, published Thursday 4 May, forcing eurozone membership candidate countries to meet both an exchange rate criterion and an inflation criterion makes no economic sense.
Comment: Trichet sounds his warning
After having made it clear that an interest rate increase was highly unlikely, the ECB's monetary policy meeting this week was all about how to signal future rate hikes pencilled in for later this year. Jean-Claude Trichet's message yesterday, 3 May, was…
ECB signals June rate rise
At the ECB's post-meeting press conference, after holding eurozone interest rates unchanged, on Thursday 4 May Jean-Claude Trichet said the Governing Council will exercise strong vigilance in order to ensure that risks to price stability over the medium…
ECB's Gonzalez-Paramo on financial statistics
In the speech 'Financial statistics for a global economy' given on 4 May Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo of the ECB said the global statistical governance for official financial statistics will be guided by the fundamental principles of official statistics…
ECB warns on Sepa timetable
The European Central Bank has issued a raft of amendments to a draft Directive on harmonising payment services in the EU, and warned that any delays in adoption of the rules could wreck the proposed timetable for the introduction of a Single Euro…
Issing's views return to fashion
Just as he prepares to leave the European Central Bank, Otmar Issing's views are coming into fashion, according to the article 'Issing's views return to fashion as he prepares to leave ECB' published on Wednesday 3 May.
ECB paper on interest rates and exchange rates
The ECB Working Paper "How does information affect the comovement between interest rates and exchange rates?" compares the link between exchange rates and interest rates under full information and two alternative asymmetric information approaches.
ECB's Garganas says more rate hikes possible
European Central Bank Governing Council member Nicholas Garganas said on Thursday 27 April that more interest rate rises are probably on the way, with the timing dependant on economic growth and inflation developments.
European Central Bank - Annual Report 2005
European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos told the European Parliament on Tuesday 25 April that further ECB interest rate hikes will be needed.
ECB to weigh rate options - Gonzalez-Paramo
ECB executive board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo said on Tuesday 25 April that the euro zone central bank will debate raising interest rates at its meeting next week, but nothing was fixed.
ECB talk of normalising rates confirms slow pace
This article published on Monday 24 April suggests that a recent shift in ECB rhetoric to talk of normalising interest rates appears to confirm that the central bank has in mind a slow and steady course of rate hikes.
Economist warns over euro currency
Respected European economist Paul de Grauwe has warned of the euro's collapse unless there is progress towards political union.
ECB's Mersch sees inflation risks from oil
European Central Bank council member Yves Mersch said in an interview he is concerned about a surge in liquidity and oil prices pushing up inflation.
Does the euro zone really need political union?
Seven years after the launch of the euro, this article published on Friday 21 April asks how much political union is needed to make monetary union work more effectively?
MEPs criticise ECB appointment
Following the approval of Jurgen Stark's nomination to the ECB's board by the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Wednesday 19 April, some centre-left MEPs have criticised the go-ahead.
Issing: Inflation forecasts may rise with oil
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said in an interview that the ECB may have to revise its inflation forecasts upwards after the latest increase in oil prices.
ECB to advise GCC states
The European Central Bank will advise Gulf states on their plans for possible monetary union a spokesman for the ECB was quoted by AFX as saying on Tuesday 18 April.
ECB's Issing sees overheating risks
Eurozone housing markets are at risk of overheating and strong money and credit growth is a danger to price stability, European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said in a newspaper interview.
European Parliament backs Stark nomination for ECB
European Central Bank nominee Juergen Stark said on Tuesday 18 April that the euro zone central bank needs to show ``great vigilance'' in curbing inflation.
Forget ECB rows and secret pacts, it's the data
According to this article published Wednesday 12 April, although conspiracy theories abound to explain why the European Central Bank has dampened expectations of a May interest rate rise, the answer is simple - hard economic data.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, April 2006
The European Central Bank published its April 2006 Monthly Bulletin on Wednesday 12 April. In the report the ECB said euro zone countries with excessive fiscal deficits - such as Germany, France and Italy - need to cut public spending.
France must speed reforms - Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview published Tuesday 11 April that France has been too slow to implement reforms to make its economy more flexible.
Liebscher hints at ECB rate rise
European Central Bank council member Klaus Liebscher signalled in an interview published Monday 10 April that the euro zone central bank may raise interest rates in June to curb inflation.