European Central Bank (ECB)
ECB argues risk of deflation is 'remote'
Monthly bulletin sets out criteria for what the European Central Bank considers deflation, as opposed to ‘subdued price developments of a less malign nature’
‘All pieces are in place' for co-ordinated regulation of European ABS, says Mersch
The various agencies in charge of regulating ABS in the EU should be able to co-ordinate their regulation of the asset class, Yves Mersch says
Economists worldwide find cash still used ‘extensively’
Economists from Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States compare survey data on payments; find cash ‘has not disappeared’
ECB set to flood banks with cash as deposit rate turns negative
European Central Bank cuts main rate to ‘lower bound’ and deposit rate below zero; plans to provide banks with up to €400bn in cheap loans to boost lending to real economy
Nouy says SSM will bring ‘positive effects’ for Nordic banks
Supervisors from Nordic countries consider how their relationship will change when the SSM becomes operational; Denmark and Sweden are unlikely to opt in
Lithuania cleared to adopt euro in 2015
Lithuania set to follow Estonia and Latvia into the eurozone; ECB gives seal of approval but warns it will be ‘challenging' to keep inflation low after joining
Dutch economists back OMTs
Researchers find the dispersion of lending and deposit rates in the eurozone is largely attributable to the differences in the sovereign risk of its member states
Mersch fears policy-makers are in last-chance saloon
European voters have given policy-makers the mandate to build a better eurozone, but their patience could run out, ECB executive board member says
Opinion: The ECB is in danger of losing its voice
Mario Draghi's primary monetary policy tool - communication - may no longer be enough, says Patrick Artus of Natixis
Post-crisis central bank policies are crowding out ABS, ECB and BoE say
Securitisations could be judged according to a set of commonly agreed principles to make due diligence easier; schemes introduced to boost lending have made ABSs comparatively expensive
Bespoke accounting rules a boon for ECB, study finds
Profits are lower but financial buffers bigger than if central bank had adopted the International Financial Reporting Standards framework
ECB concerned by growing search for yield
European Central Bank review warns the financial system has become more vulnerable to an ‘abrupt reversal of risk premiums’ in the wake of a growing search for yield
Greater competition leads to riskier banking, ECB working paper says
Paper finds more competition led banks to resort to more securitisation, greater risk and ultimately a higher probability of being bailed out
Paul Krugman calls for higher inflation targets at ECB Forum
US academic ruffles feathers at conference in Portugal by arguing that higher inflation targets are more desirable now than they were a decade ago; Ottmar Issing disagrees
ECB plans to charge banks $355 million supervisory fee
The European Central Bank will charge eurozone banks an annual fee for supervising them; early figures suggest the 130 or so significant banks will foot 85% of the bill
Draghi flags up eurozone credit constraints
The ECB could help boost lending to SMEs through LTROs if credit supply fails to keep pace with credit demand, Mario Draghi tells Portugal conference
ECB launches new central banking forum
The European Central Bank will open its first forum on central banking in Portugal on Sunday, where 150 central bankers, government officials and academics will debate current policy issues
SSM results could come out early if severe weaknesses are found
Sabine Lautenschläger said today the results of the ECB's assessment of eurozone banks' health could be released early in the case of ‘severe weaknesses'
Target2 values drop by €150 trillion as ECB changes statistical methodology
European Central Bank excludes overnight deposits from data sample; values processed by Target2 drop from €643 trillion in 2012 to €493 trillion in 2013 as a result
Euro Retail Payments Board sets out work plan in wake of Sepa migration
The board creates two working groups in its first meeting; one on post-migration issues, the other on finding Europe-wide solutions for securing electronic mandates for direct debits
European central banks strike new gold agreement
Central banks in the eurozone, Sweden and Switzerland agree to coordinate their gold transactions, but scrap the 400-tonne limit on annual sales
Mersch: regional currencies are flawed
ECB executive board member warns that regional money can hamper trade between different parts of the country, while costing commercial partners the opportunity to grow
QE for infrastructure investment could be ECB's alternative to ‘pushing on a string'
As the ECB continues to struggle to boost lending in the eurozone periphery, a leading Greek academic is proposing it channels QE through the European Investment Bank
Bowles turns down ECB invite to join Supervisory Board
Sharon Bowles, who is stepping down from the European Parliament this month, fears the ECB is eyeing an expansion of its influence through macro-prudential policy