ECB Cuts Outlook and Moves Closer towards Stimulus

Mario Draghi dragged the European Central Bank toward more monetary stimulus with a pledge to assess the need early next year, disappointing some investors seeking faster action.

Even as he unveiled “substantially” lower forecasts for euro-area inflation and economic growth, the ECB president said officials will wait to evaluate whether they’re doing enough to revive the weakest consumer-price growth in five years. They are already intensifying preparations for further measures, including studying the merits of buying government debt.

If policy makers do see a need to combat a prolonged period of low inflation then “this would imply altering early next year the size, pace and composition of our measures,” Draghi told reporters in Frankfurt after his Governing Council met to set policy for the last time in 2014. “We don’t need unanimity” on the 24-member council to act, he said.

Bloomberg

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