European Central Bank (ECB) Vice President Luis de Guindos said on Monday that “the balance of risks has shifted from concerns about high inflation to fears over economic growth.”
Additional takeaways
The growth outlook is clouded by uncertainty about economic policies and the geopolitical landscape.
Trade tensions could rise further, increasing tail risk of events materializing.
Market reaction
These prudent remarks from the ECB policymaker fail to deter the Euro’s recovery, as the EUR/USD pair edges 0.25% higher on the day to near 1.0570 at the press time.
ECB FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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 steady near 1.0550 amid cautious mood
EUR/USD loses its recovery momentum and trades in a tight range near 1.0550 on Monday. Markets adopt a cautious stance to start the week as geopolitical tensions remain high on Russia-Ukraine headlines, making it difficult for the pair to push higher.
GBP/USD stabilizes above 1.2600 following previous week's drop
GBP/USD defends minor bids above 1.2600 on Monday but struggles to gather recovery momentum as market mood sours. The Bank of England Monetary Policy Hearings and UK inflation data this week could influence Pound Sterling's valuation.
Gold benefits from escalating geopolitical tensions, rises toward $2,600
After suffering large losses in the previous week, Gold gathers recovery momentum and rises toward $2,600 on Monday. In the absence of high-tier data releases, escalating geopolitical tensions help XAU/USD hold its ground.
Bonk holds near record-high as traders cheer hefty token burn
Bonk (BONK) price extends its gains on Monday after surging more than 100% last week and reaching a new all-time high on Sunday. This rally was fueled by the announcement on Friday that BONK would burn 1 trillion tokens by Christmas.
The week ahead: Powell stumps the US stock rally as Bitcoin surges, as we wait Nvidia earnings, UK CPI
The mood music is shifting for the Trump trade. Stocks fell sharply at the end of last week, led by big tech. The S&P 500 was down by more than 2% last week, its weakest performance in 2 months, while the Nasdaq was lower by 3%. The market has now given back half of the post-Trump election win gains.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.