ECB not contemplating any more monetary easing - Constancio

Image
Reuters LONDON
Last Updated : May 09 2016 | 4:58 PM IST

LONDON (Reuters) - Only a major shock to the world economy would force the ECB to contemplate further monetary easing given that it just recently announced a package of stimulus measures, its Vice President Vitor Constancio said on Monday.

The ECB in March launched a package of measures including an expansion of its asset purchase scheme. But falling inflation expectations have fuelled hopes of more easing, possibly as early as June when the bank's staff present new growth and inflation forecasts.

"We took this package of measures very recently so without major upheavals in the world economy we are not contemplating anything just a month after we took major decisions," Constancio told reporters on the sidelines of an industry event in London.

Consumer prices in the euro zone fell by an annualized 0.2 percent in April, and inflation has been hovering near zero for the best part of two years even though the ECB has injected trillions into the economy via monetary easing.

Last week the European Commission cut its 2016 inflation outlook to 0.2 percent from 0.5 percent, further from the ECB's near 2 percent target, despite monetary stimulus and a rebound in oil prices.

(Reporting by John Geddie and Jamie McGeever; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 09 2016 | 4:48 PM IST

Next Story