Insights


ECB Insight: More Ground to Cover, Says Lagarde, But Don’t Ask How Much

ECB Insight: More Ground to Cover, Says Lagarde, But Don’t Ask How Much

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – The European Central Bank delivered more or less as expected on Thursday, opting to slow the pace of its tightening whilst making clear that, given the lack of a clear impact of higher borrowing costs on the real economy, this was not to be understood as the end of the hiking cycle.

4 May 2023
ECB Insight: Growing Dissension, SVB Fallout Make Retreat to Data-Dependence More Attractive

ECB Insight: Growing Dissension, SVB Fallout Make Retreat to Data-Dependence More Attractive

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – In considering what this week’s meeting of the European Central Bank Governing Council will bring, we start from the observations that a 50bp hike this week across the board is probably a given despite the Silicon Valley Bank insolvency, putting the spotlight on the post-March policy outlook, and that the Council is showing signs of increasing polarisation.

15 March 2023
ECB Insight: Comments by Centeno Underscore Obstacles to Large Rate Hikes Post-March

ECB Insight: Comments by Centeno Underscore Obstacles to Large Rate Hikes Post-March

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – Past the habitual dovishness, other, at first glance less substantive comments published Monday in an interview with European Central Bank Governing Council member Mário Centeno may actually offer the more interesting insight into the challenge the ECB will face in maintaining the current pace of monetary tightening beyond March.

6 March 2023
ECB Insight: de Cos Sets the Stage for Worrying Not Just About Risk of Doing Too Little

ECB Insight: de Cos Sets the Stage for Worrying Not Just About Risk of Doing Too Little

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Pablo Hernández de Cos’ latest remarks are a reminder that the ECB is not going to hike by 50bp forever and that March, whilst probably not the time to decelerate, could be the right moment for authorities to start giving more consideration to the increasing risks of doing too much too fast.

15 February 2023
ECB Insight: Once Again, the Governing Council Has an Intention

ECB Insight: Once Again, the Governing Council Has an Intention

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – Not for the first time at the European Central Bank, monetary policy has come down to a matter of how much an intention is worth, but with the significant difference that on this occasion, President Christine Lagarde made an earnest effort to address this question, even if the attempt raised yet more questions.

2 February 2023
ECB’s Governing Council Likely Still Inclined to Hike Significantly at a Steady Pace

ECB’s Governing Council Likely Still Inclined to Hike Significantly at a Steady Pace

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – Rare is the European Central Bank Governing Council meeting devoid of suspense, and although the primary outcome of this week’s gathering – a 50bp hike of all key interest rates – seems a foregone conclusion, what kind of stage President Christine Lagarde will set for the subsequent meeting is well worth speculating about.

31 January 2023
ECB’s Villeroy: Will Hike as Needed to Restore Price Stability; Won’t Lead to Recession

ECB’s Villeroy: Will Hike as Needed to Restore Price Stability; Won’t Lead to Recession

- Villeroy: Will continue to raise rates, perhaps at slightly slower pace than in recent months
- Villeroy: ‘Economic activity in Europe is rather resilient and better than expected’
- Villeroy: Expect inflation to be back down to 2% by the end of 2024 or 2025
- Villeroy: Hope inflation now at peak, but in any case will be there in 1H and then decline steadily

23 January 2023