Eurozone
ECB's Trichet on European financial integration
In the speech 'European financial integration' given on 16 December Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said a lack of integration in eurozone mortgage markets may affect the impact that ECB rate decisions have in different countries.
Garganas says ECB will act on rates if needed
The European Central Bank will raise interest rates in the future if December's hike isn't enough to keep inflation subdued, Bank of Greece governor and ECB Governing Council member Nicholas Garganas said Monday 19 December.
ECBs Papademos calls for action on labour reform
Eurozone countries are at risk of inflation accelerating even as unemployment remains 'disappointingly high' because of labour market inflexibility, European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos said.
Juncker says Stark may not take ECB economist role
Jean-Claude Juncker has suggested that Jurgen Stark might not inherit Otmar Issing's role as Chief Economist at the ECB if he is appointed to replace Issing.
Interview with ECB's Trichet
In comments published Thursday 15 December, European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said there is an essential difference between the ECB's Governing Council and well-respected figures, such as Jean-Claude Juncker and Thierry Breton, who have…
Interview with ECB's Bini Smaghi
Speaking recently, Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, said that the US Federal Reserve is better than the ECB is "a bit like saying that Alonso is better than Schumacher. It depends on the car. The US economy…
ECB's Issing says inflation hazardous
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing wrote in the Financial Times on Thursday that low interest rates risk pushing up inflation, which could damage price and economic stability.
Trichet: Fazio may have infringed ECB rules
Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio would have infringed the European Central Bank's code of conduct if press information of improper links with Banca Popolare Italiana CEO Gianpiero Fiorani proved founded, ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said on…
Trichet: ECB must act before inflation develops
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview the ECB must not wait for inflation to develop before taking action against it.
ECB introduces cartoon kit
Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank, launched a new information kit entitled "Price stability: why is it important for you?" on Monday 12 December.
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 Financial Stability Review, December 2005
The European Central Bank published its December 2005 Financial Stability Review on 8 December. In the report the ECB said the strength and resilience of the euro area financial system has further improved over the past six months, contributing to a…
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.
ECB's Issing says rate policy no block to recovery
The European Central Bank's interest rate policy is no obstacle to an economic upturn in the euro zone, ECB chief economist Otmar Issing told German weekly Rheinischer Merkur.
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.
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…
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's Mersch says eurozone tax harmony not needed
Eurozone members aren't obliged to harmonize taxation practices as this isn't part and parcel of European Monetary Union, Luxembourg Central Bank Governor Yves Mersch said on Friday 2 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.