The European Central Bank (ECB) policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Thursday that the central bank should keep its options open for a bigger rate cut next month and its policy rate could eventually fall to a level that once again boots growth, per Reuters.
Key quotes
Seen from today, there is every reason to cut on December 12. Optionality should remain open on the size of the cut, depending on incoming data, economic projections and our risk assessment.
Victory against inflation is in sight.
The inflation target may be reached in early 2025.
Our interest rates should clearly go to the neutral rate.
We still have significant room to remove the restrictive stance of our monetary policy.
I wouldn't exclude going below the neutral rate in the future.
There is every reason to cut on December 12th, optionality should remain open on the size.
For the following meetings, we shouldn't exclude any of them for possible cuts.
Market reaction
At the time of writing, the EUR/USD pair is trading 0.04% higher on the day to trade at 1.0559.
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
AUD/USD rises back above 0.6500 after hawkish RBA Bullock's comments
AUD/USD edges higher to regain 0.6500 in Asian trading on Friday. The pair capitalizes on upbeat Australian Private Capex data for October and hawkish comments from RBA Governor Bullock. A broadly muted US Dollar also aids the Aussie's uptick amid light trading.
USD/JPY extends sell-off to near 150.00 after hot Tokyo CPI
USD/JPY extends sell-off to test 150.00 in Friday's Asian session following the release of hotter-than-expected November inflation figures from Tokyo, Japan’s capital. The data strengthens the case for another BoJ rate hike in December, sending the Japanese Yen through the roof.
Gold price holds firm below $2,650 amid cautious optimism
Gold price posts small gains below $2,650 in the Asian session on Friday, awaiting a fresh catalyst before the next leg of a directional move amid a cautiously optimistic mood. Bets for a Dec Fed rate cut remain intact, acting as a tailwind for Gold price alongside a subdued US Dollar.
ASI's FET rallies following earn-and-burn mechanism launch
The Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET) saw double-digit gains on Thursday after it announced plans to burn up to 100 million tokens as part of its Earn-and-Burn mechanism, set to begin in December.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
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.