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ECB Insight: The Missing Policy Choices Behind Lagarde’s “Robust” Rate Hike

ECB Insight: The Missing Policy Choices Behind Lagarde’s “Robust” Rate Hike

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – The most important statement at last week’s European Central Bank press conference was President Christine Lagarde’s repeated assertion that the decision to raise interest rates by 25bp was “robust across all scenarios,” a justification that went considerably further than merely invoking the ECB’s baseline forecast.

18 June 2026 Central Bank News
France: AFT Raises €14 Billion in Medium-Term OAT Auction

France: AFT Raises €14 Billion in Medium-Term OAT Auction

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – France’s Agence France Trésor (AFT) on Thursday raised €13.999 billion through an auction of four medium-term government bonds (OATs) maturing between 2029 and 2034.

18 June 2026 Debt Issuance News
ECB's Nagel: New Forms of Money Could Weaken Monetary Policy Transmission in Long Run

ECB's Nagel: New Forms of Money Could Weaken Monetary Policy Transmission in Long Run

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Joachim Nagel said on Thursday that new forms of money, including stablecoins, tokenized deposits and central bank digital currencies, could weaken monetary policy transmission in the long run by reducing the role of banks in credit provision.

18 June 2026 Central Bank News
Ireland: Central Bank Warns Fiscal Policy Should Not Add to Demand

Ireland: Central Bank Warns Fiscal Policy Should Not Add to Demand

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – The Central Bank of Ireland warned that Irish fiscal policy should avoid unnecessarily stimulating demand, with the economy operating at capacity and externally driven inflation pressures already rising.

18 June 2026 Central Bank News
Italy: ANAC, MEF, Consip Sign MoU to Boost Transparency and Digitalization in Public Procurement

Italy: ANAC, MEF, Consip Sign MoU to Boost Transparency and Digitalization in Public Procurement

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Italy’s National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and public procurement agency Consip on Wednesday signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in public procurement, with a focus on transparency, interoperability and digitalization.

17 June 2026 Debt Issuance News
ECB’s Šimkus: Another Rate Hike More Likely Than Not

ECB’s Šimkus: Another Rate Hike More Likely Than Not

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Gediminas Šimkus said Wednesday that the ECB’s June 11 rate hike was too small to settle the euro area’s inflation issue and that at least one further increase was more likely than not.

17 June 2026 Central Bank News
ECB’s Makhlouf: June Hike Does Not Mean Extended Tightening Cycle

ECB’s Makhlouf: June Hike Does Not Mean Extended Tightening Cycle

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Gabriel Makhlouf said Tuesday that last week’s rate hike was necessary to prevent energy-driven inflation from becoming embedded, but did not automatically signal the start of an extended tightening cycle.

16 June 2026 Central Bank News
ECB’s Lane: June Hike Was Straightforward, Policy to Stay Data-Dependent

ECB’s Lane: June Hike Was Straightforward, Policy to Stay Data-Dependent

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Chief Economist Philip Lane said Tuesday that last week’s 25bp rate hike was a straightforward decision given the inflation outlook and the Eurozone economy’s resilience, but declined to say whether further tightening would follow.

16 June 2026 Central Bank News