Eurozone
Comment: Trichet's new strategy
Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), on Thursday 2 February cemented expectations of a 25 basis point rate hike next month. The manner in which he has gone about flagging the move underlines the central bank's new…
Trichet renews call for eurozone reforms
Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, urged euro zone governments to speed up structural reforms of their labour markets and welfare systems, telling a conference in Davos on Saturday that it was the best way to ensure economic…
Buba's Weber says ECB 'ready to act' on rates
The European Central Bank is ready to act again any time if necessary on interest rates in the eurozone, Bundesbank chief Axel Weber said in a newspaper interview.
Bank interest rate pass-through in the euro area
The European Central Bank Working Paper 'Bank interest rate pass-through in the euro area: a cross country comparison' investigates the pass-through between market interest rates and bank interest rates in the euro area.
Bini Smaghi calls for excess liquidity halt
Central banks must act in a timely way to halt excess liquidity, a senior European Central Bank official said in the advance release of a newspaper interview Wednesday 25 January.
ECB's Trichet on euro area structural reforms
In the speech 'Growth performance, labour productivity and structural reforms in the euro area', given on 20 January Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said that when looking at the necessary structural reforms in Europe the key word is "flexibility".
IMF's Rajan sees a very promising 2006
The International Monetary Fund's Chief Economist on Friday 20 January predicted better global economic growth in 2006 but warned the European Central Bank against raising interest rates too quickly.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, January 2006
The European Central Bank published its January 2006 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 19 January. In the report the ECB said its interest rates remain low and it is therefore keeping a close eye on inflation risks in the euro zone.
ECB's Issing sees no let up in euro zone growth
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing told a conference on Wednesday 18 January that there are no signs that euro zone growth is slowing.
Bini Smaghi says rate to rise if justified by data
European Central Bank board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said on Wednesday 18 January that the ECB will raise its interest rates if new economic data justifies this move.
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell optimistic on growth
European Central Bank executive board member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell said on Tuesday 17 January prospects for economic growth across the eurozone are improving.
Draghi joins ECB council,marking changing of guard
A new generation is taking the levers of power at the ECB. This article published on Monday 16 January says the new breed of central banker could bring a heightened pragmatism to ECB decision-making, one less shaped by ideology as the centre of gravity…
ECB says forgers favouring 20-euro notes
The European Central Bank has reported the number of forged bank notes traced in 2005 fell 2.5 percent, but the number of 20-euro notes rose sharply in the second half of the year.
ECB's Trichet on European financial integration
In the speech 'The process of European financial integration: where do we stand?' given on 13 January Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said as regards the further integration of securities (i.e. bonds and equity) markets, a prominent role should be…
Forecasting ECB monetary policy accuracy
The ECB Working Paper 'Forecasting ECB monetary policy accuracy is (still) a matter of geography' uses a database of surveys of professional ECB policy forecasters in 24 countries, the authors find remarkable differences in forecast accuracy, and show…
Eurosystem central bank staff cuts gather pace
The number of central bankers in the eurosystem stands at 49,559, a fall of 5.3% or 7,237 staff since one year ago, and 11.9% lower than when the euro was launched in 1999, reveals the 2006 edition of Central Banking Publications' Central Bank Directory.
Comment:Euro area central banks begin to modernise
Central banks are busy modernizing themselves - indeed, it has become an important element in building credibility. That process almost always involves staff cuts.
Trichet says ECB's message well understood
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet told a press conference Thursday 12 January that market expectations for further interest rate hikes show that the ECB's position has been well understood.
Unipol considers appeal
The European Commission said it has not yet received a reply from the Italian authorities regarding its legal action against Italy over the involvement of its central bank in the takeover battle for Banca Antonveneta SpA. And Unipol was reported to be…
Lull in hostile criticisms from politicians
The New Year seems to have started on an unusually harmonious note as far as relations between central banks and politicians are concerned. With policy interest rates on hold in the UK and euro areas, and perhaps soon to reach a plateau in the US,…
Europe's central bank must show some backbone
According to this article published on Monday 9 January , political pressure could be responsible for the European Central Bank's 'timid' interest rate move last month.
Central bankers upbeat on world economy
The global economy is growing at a dynamic pace and may even accelerate in 2006, central bankers from major countries said on Monday 9 January.
Interview with ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet
In recent comments European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said that monetary policy "cannot resolve all problems by itself". "We need profound structural reforms to increase our growth potential", Trichet warned.
ECB's message can get lost in translation
On occasions the European Central Bank's monthly news conferences on interest rates can be as much an exercise in linguistic guesswork as a window on the thinking of the world's number two central bank, according to this article published Wednesday 4…