The European Central Bank cut interest rates further below zero and said it™ll resume bond purchases as President Mario Draghi overcame critics of his stimulus policies to make a final run at reflating the euro-area economy. The Governing Council reduced the deposit rate to minus 0.5% from minus 0.4%, and will buy debt at 20 billion euros ($22 billion) a month starting Nov. 1. Banks will get exemptions from the negative rate for some of their deposits after an outcry from lenders about the squeeze on profitability. Draghi will hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. in...
The Federal Reserves decision in March to cease raising interest rates this year was driven by unease over the U.S. and global economies and surprisingly subdued inflation, according to minutes of the pivotal central bank meeting. Last month the Fed junked previous plans to raise a key short-term U.S. interest twice more this year. Instead, Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated the Fed would remain œpatient and its closely watched œdot plot pointed to no increases in interest rates for 2019. On the Feds list of worries: Sluggish U.S. growth early in the new year, a weaker...
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi warned that the euro-area economy faces agglomerating risks including Brexit and the danger that trade protectionism could hurt confidence. Draghi said recent figures confirm a œslowing growth momentum as global issues dent sentiment. He added that the ECB will consider whether it needs to mitigate any of the side-effects from its negative interest rates, speaking after the institution kept its key rates unchanged with its deposit rate held at minus 0.4 percent. The president also said the ECB is œfully committed to...
The European Central Bank kept its policy unchanged as expected on Wednesday, maintaining interest rates at record lows and keeping its guidance for steady interest rates this year despite a sharp slowdown in economic growth. With the economy and inflation both slowing, the ECB has already backtracked on its plans to tighten policy this year, unveiling instead even more stimulus to prop up an export-focused economy now struggling amid a global slowdown in trade. But having unveiled fresh measures just last month, the ECB can afford to wait before contemplating any further steps, keeping...
In a widely expected decision, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee held the policy rate unchanged at 0.75% with a unanimous vote. The asset purchase facility remained steady at €435 billion as well. Below are some key takeaways from the monetary policy statement. Since the Committees previous meeting, the news in economic data has been mixed, but the MPC's February Inflation Report projections appear on track. The broad-based softening in global GDP and trade growth has continued. Shifting expectations about the potential nature and timing of the United Kingdoms...
Federal Reserve officials, seeing slower growth and softer inflation ahead, said Wednesday they dont expect to hike interest rates much at all over the next three years. The new median forecast of Fed officials in the œdot-plot graph was for no more interest-rate hike this year. The central bankers see one move in 2020. The prior Fed forecast was for two rate hikes this year and then one more next year. Policy makers also announced they will begin to taper the runoff of the $4 trillion balance sheet in May and end it in September. The Fed said in a statement after its two-day...
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said on Monday that the possibility of Britain leaving the European Union next month without a transition deal ranked as the riskiest Brexit scenario for the...
Bank of Japan maintains 10-year JGB yield target at about zero percent after ending a two-day meeting on Tuesday.
Keeps policy balance rate at -0.1%.
Central bank leaves forward guidance and asset...