As expected, the European Central Bank (ECB) kept its key interest rates unchanged and announced a slow down in the pandemic purchase program from the fourth quarter. According to analysts from Danske Bank, the current rise in inflation is still seen as largely temporary by the ECB. They largely share with the central bank the cautiously optimistic outlook for the economy and transitory inflation narrative underlying price pressures building up only slowly.
Key Quotes:
“At today’s meeting, ECB decided to slow its PEPP bond purchases to a ‘moderately lower pace of net asset purchases under the pandemic emergency purchase programme (PEPP) than in the previous two quarters.’ This slowdown was widely expected and probably as close to the market consensus as there could be. The entire press conference unfolded in a quite predictable fashion.”
“The ECB gave further guidance of the next re-calibration to take place at the December meeting, which was widely as expected. The ‘calibrate, not taper’ narrative gave us deja-vu of the December 2016 press conference. Further TLTRO operations will be discussed alongside the general stance at the December meeting, but will be data dependent.”
“Overall, we largely share the ECB’s cautiously optimistic outlook for the economy and transitory inflation narrative. That said, with inflation expected to print above the ECB's target for the remainder of this year, we would not be surprised to see hawks in the ECB's Governing Council to become more vocal about pro-inflationary risks in the coming months. Fiscal rather than monetary policy will increasingly determine how the euro area recovery continues in 2022 and in that respect the outcome of Germany’s upcoming parliamentary election will play a crucial role in our view.”
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds above 1.0600 as focus shifts to Powell speech
EUR/USD fluctuates in a narrow range above 1.0600 on Tuesday as the better-than-expected Economic Sentiment data from Germany helps the Euro hold its ground. Fed Chairman Powell will speak on the policy outlook later in the day.
GBP/USD stays below 1.2450 after UK employment data
GBP/USD trades marginally lower on the day below 1.2450 in the early European session on Tuesday. The data from the UK showed that the ILO Unemployment Rate in February rose to 4.2% from 4%, weighing on Pound Sterling.
Gold price remains depressed near $2,370 amid bullish USD, lacks follow-through selling
Gold price (XAU/USD) attracts some sellers during the early part of the European session on Tuesday and reverses a major part of the overnight recovery gains from the $2,325-2,324 area, or a multi-day low.
XRP struggles below $0.50 resistance as SEC vs. Ripple lawsuit likely to enter final pretrial conference
XRP is struggling with resistance at $0.50 as Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are gearing up for the final pretrial conference on Tuesday at a New York court.
Canada CPI Preview: Inflation expected to accelerate in March, snapping two-month downtrend
The Canadian Consumer Price Index is seen gathering some upside traction in March. The BoC deems risks to the inflation outlook to be balanced. The Canadian Dollar navigates five-month lows against the US Dollar.