Christine Lagarde

Frequent shocks to economy make inflation more unpredictable: ECB chief

The head of the European Central Bank said inflation has become more unpredictable due to shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine and that policymakers need to take the possibility of such extreme scenarios into account and communicate them to the public as well. The world ahead is more uncertain, and that uncertainty is likely to make inflation more volatile, European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said Monday in a speech opening the central bank's annual conference in Sintra, Portugal. It's pretty basic but that's the reality. One reason, she said, was that increasingly regular supply disruptions were leading companies to change their prices more frequently, a habit that goes beyond the recent burst of inflation in the US and Europe and reflects a structural shift in how firms operate under conditions of permanently higher uncertainty. The bank's assessment of the economy needs to rely on taking extreme possible scenarios into account as

Europe inflation cools to 1.9%; focus shifts to Trump and tariffs

Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro fell to 1.9% in May from 2.2% in April, clearing the way for more rate cuts from the European Central Bank to support growth in the face of US President Donald Trump's tariff offensive. Lower energy prices helped bring consumer prices in May to below the ECB's 2% target for the first time since September. Increasing signs that inflation is back under control after a painful outbreak in 2021-23 leaves room for the ECB to turn its attention to worries about the impact of a slew of new import taxes on EU goods in the US that threaten to slow Europe's export-oriented economy. Reductions in the ECB's benchmark rate, currently at 2.25%, lower borrowing costs throughout the economy, making it easier to buy things on credit and stimulating economic activity and investment. Higher rates combat inflation, but for the moment that battle appears to have been won. The ECB's rate-setting council meets on Thursday under bank President Christine Lagar

Christine Lagarde warns of enduring changes in global trade dynamics

The finance ministers and central bank governors focused instead on a collective call to address "excessive imbalances" in the global economy, an effort clearly aimed at China, though they didn't name

ECB's role isn't funding military, says Lagarde amid EU spending shift

The monetary chief told reporters in Frankfurt on Thursday that a huge increase military spending is likely to boost the economy

ECB cuts rates, signals possible further easing amid economic uncertainty

Easing for the sixth time since June, the ECB lowered its deposit rate to 2.5 per cent in a nod to slowing inflation and faltering growth

Lagarde says ECB expects 'really good progress' on inflation so far

Speaking on Wednesday at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council in Washington, she described how policymakers have seen consumer-price growth weaken from a peak above 10%

Lagarde says ECB expects 'really good progress' on inflation so far

Speaking on Wednesday at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council in Washington, she described how policymakers have seen consumer-price growth weaken from a peak above 10%

In first in 3 months, Fed dot plot set to offer glimpse of rate-cut resolve

A 41 per cent plurality of economists expect the US Fed to signal two cuts in the closely watched dot plot, while an equal number expect the forecasts to show just one or no cuts at all

ECB governors fear Fed-style 'dot plot' would invite political pressure

Their concerns highlight the contradictions of the euro zone's architecture compared with jurisdictions with only one national government, such as Britain and the United States

ECB will have to gamble with interest rate cut before long, says Wunsch

Euro zone inflation fell in February to 2.6%, but underlying price growth remained stubbornly high, with prices for food, alcohol and tobacco up 4.0% year-on-year and for services 3.9% higher.

History suggests new Trump term would be a threat, says Christine Lagarde

Polls show November elections in the US shaping up to be a rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden, who defeated him in a bitterly fought 2020 contest

Recovery prospects for economy fragile owing to Russia's war: ECB chief

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde on Friday said that recovery prospects for global economy remain fragile amid continued uncertainty, fuelled by Russia's unjustified war against Ukraine

ECB Prez Lagarde leads a chorus warning that inflation has to be anchored

Policymakers cautioned that hopes for a quick cooling in inflation pressures next year may prove premature

'Risk of recession' increased, expect to raise rates more: ECB's Lagarde

Lagarde said that the "risk of a recession" has increased, but that a downturn on its own won't be sufficient to tame soaring prices

Lagarde says removing stimulus 'not enough', ECB may raise rates further

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned on Friday that the bank may have to raise interest rates beyond merely withdrawing stimulus and into territory that could restrain growth as the bank fights to control record inflation in the 19 countries that use the euro. We expect to raise rates further, and withdrawing accommodation may not be enough," Lagarde said in a speech at a banking forum in Frankfurt, Germany. She said the bank intended to bring inflation down in a timely manner and that how far we need to go, and how fast, will be determined by the inflation outlook. The ECB has raised rates at the fastest pace in its history to combat inflation that hit 10.7 per cent in the eurozone in October, the highest since statistics started being kept in 1997 and far above the bank's goal of 2 per cent. Inflation has been fed by high natural gas prices caused by Russia's cutbacks in gas supply during the war in Ukraine and by bottlenecks in supplies of parts and raw ...

European Central Bank set to hike rates for the first time in 11 years

That outlook is getting murkier by the day because inflation is still accelerating and growth slowing sharply

Euro below $1.06 as Christine Lagarde keeps July policy options open

Oil prices are up 10% in barely a week on supply constraint concerns with Brent crude holding above $117, pushing the Canadian dollar and the Australian dollar up 0.3% and 0.4% respectively

Dollar up, euro down as ECB's Lagarde keeps July policy options open

The ECB is widely expected to follow its global peers by raising interest rates in July to try to check soaring inflation though economists are divided on the magnitude of any rate hike.

ECB ready to 'stamp out' surging inflation with rate hike in July, Sept

With new inflation figures due out Friday, Lagarde said the bank is using the dual approach to be able to respond to economic uncertainty.

Euro holds below $1.06 as ECB's Lagarde sticks to policy outlook script

Oil prices are up 10% in barely a week on supply constraint concerns with Brent crude holding near $117 levels pushing Canadian and Australian dollar up 0.3% and 0.4% respectively versus the greenback