ECB's Villeroy: Inflation risk from trade tensions seems weak

Eren Sengezer FXStreet

European Central Bank (ECB) policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Friday that the inflation risk from trade tensions seems weak and could even be downward, per Reuters.

Commenting on US President Donald Trump's criticism of Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell, "Fed's Powell is doing his job very well because he is telling the truth as it is," Villeroy said and added that Trump is wrong for criticizing Powell for cutting rates too slowly.

Market reaction

EUR/USD showed no immediate reaction to these comments and was last seen trading marginally higher on the day at 1.1375.

ECB FAQs

What is the ECB and how does it influence the Euro?

The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy for the region. The ECB primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means keeping inflation at around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is by raising or lowering interest rates. Relatively high interest rates will usually result in a stronger Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.

What is Quantitative Easing (QE) and how does it affect the Euro?

In extreme situations, the European Central Bank can enact a policy tool called Quantitative Easing. QE is the process by which the ECB prints Euros and uses them to buy assets – usually government or corporate bonds – from banks and other financial institutions. QE usually results in a weaker Euro. QE is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the objective of price stability. The ECB used it during the Great Financial Crisis in 2009-11, in 2015 when inflation remained stubbornly low, as well as during the covid pandemic.

What is Quantitative tightening (QT) and how does it affect the Euro?

Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse of QE. It is undertaken after QE when an economic recovery is underway and inflation starts rising. Whilst in QE the European Central Bank (ECB) purchases government and corporate bonds from financial institutions to provide them with liquidity, in QT the ECB stops buying more bonds, and stops reinvesting the principal maturing on the bonds it already holds. It is usually positive (or bullish) for the Euro.

BRANDED CONTENT

Finding the right broker for your trading strategy is essential, especially when specific features make all the difference. Explore our selection of top brokers, each offering unique advantages to match your needs.

Author

Eren Sengezer

FXStreet

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

GBP/USD strengthens to near 1.3400 as UK political risk fades

The GBP/USD pair gathers strength near 1.3395 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday, bolstered by fading domestic political uncertainty. However, hawkish minutes from the Federal Reserve and renewed tensions between the US and Iran might support the US Dollar and cap the upside for the major pair.

EUR/USD sticks to positive bias above 1.1400 vs USD; Mideast tensions cap gains

The EUR/USD pair attracts some buyers for the second straight day, though it lacks follow-through and remains confined within the previous day's range during the Asian session on Thursday. Spot prices currently trade around the 1.1420 area, up less than 0.10% for the day, and remain at the mercy of the US Dollar price dynamics.

Gold keeps the red despite softer USD; stays below $4,100

Gold trades with a mild negative bias in the Asian session on Thursday, fading the overnight bounce from $4,020, or a one-week low. Minutes of the June FOMC meeting showed an evenly divided debate over the monetary policy outlook and failed to impress the US Dollar bulls, which is supporting Gold. However, fresh US-Iran tensions drive Oil higher, reviving inflation concerns and limiting the USD's downside and the bullion's rebound.

Bitcoin has yet to escape bearish conditions despite recent recovery

In a report on Wednesday, Glassnode stated that Bitcoin has continued trading beneath both the True Market Mean of $76,600 and the short-term holders cost basis of $72,200. "Until these levels are reclaimed, the market remains in deep value territory and structurally vulnerable to any external negative catalyst," Glassnode wrote.

2.50%: Why the Kiwi's first hike in three years is a wager on a number nobody can see

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) raised the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 2.50% at 02:00 GMT on Wednesday, its first hike in three years and the moment the bank that cut deeper than any G10 peer last cycle turned to face the other way.

Bye, forward guidance: How to trade when central banks choose silence

Central banks have spent years telling markets what might come next. Now, traders face the possibility that they say a lot less. From the Federal Reserve to the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, policymakers are pushing back against forward guidance.