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The ECB has been cutting rates quickly this year but policymakers have so far said the goal is a 'neutral' setting

ECB starting to debate if rates have to go below neutral

European Central Bank policymakers have begun to debate whether interest rates need to be lowered enough to start stimulating the economy, ending years of economic restriction, conversations this week with half a dozen sources indicate.

Business • 23 Oct 24

The ECB cut rates from record highs twice already this year and markets now expect even quicker policy easing with moves in October and December fully priced in

ECB will probably cut rates in October - Villeroy

The European Central Bank will probably cut interest rates on October 17 as economic growth is weak and this raises the risk that inflation will undershoot its 2% target, French Central Bank Chief Francois Villeroy de Galhau told an Italian newspaper.

Business • 07 Oct 24

Europe needs bigger banks to compete with US rivals

Europe needs bigger and stronger banks that can compete with their US and Chinese rivals, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said today, just as Italy's UniCredit was looking to possibly take over Germany's Commerzbank.

Business • 30 Sep 24

The ECB cut interest rates in June and is almost certain to ease again in September in a nod to slowing price growth

ECB policymakers at odds over downturn's impact: sources

European Central Bank policymakers are increasingly at odds on the outlook for growth, a rift that could shape the rate cut debate for months with some fearing a recession and others focusing on lingering inflation pressures, sources close to the debate said.

Business • 02 Sep 24

Christine Lagarde spoke to Miriam O'Callaghan for Prime Time

Lagarde: Data awaited but 'strong likelihood' of ECB rate cut

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, has told RTÉ that there is a 'strong likelihood' of an ECB interest rate cut in the coming weeks "if the data that we receive reinforces the confidence level that we have."

Prime Time • 21 May 24

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde

ECB's Lagarde says inflation more likely to ease

Euro zone inflation is likely to decline further and the European Central Bank may cut interest rates if its long-standing price growth criteria are met, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 22 Apr 24

ECB can't commit to rate path even after first cut

The European Central Bank cannot commit to a pre-set number of interest rate cuts even after it starts reducing borrowing costs as that will depend on incoming data, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 20 Mar 24

The President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, speaking today as the ECB kept euro zone rates steady

ECB takes small step towards rate cut as inflation slows

The European Central Bank kept borrowing costs at record highs today but took a first, small step towards lowering them, saying inflation was easing faster than it anticipated only a few months ago.

Business • 07 Mar 24

Q4 wage data encouraging but not enough - ECB's Lagarde

Relatively benign fourth quarter wage growth data are encouraging but not yet enough to give the European Central Bank confidence that inflation has been defeated, ECB president Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 23 Feb 24

The latest ECB minutes show that policymakers seemed more optimistic about inflation prospects than at any time in years

Minutes shows ECB more hopeful on inflation

European Central Bank policymakers agreed last month that inflation is coming under control but any talk of rate cuts was premature given rapid wage growth and abundant underlying price pressures, published accounts of their meeting showed.

Business • 22 Feb 24

Inflation going in right direction - ECB's Lagarde

Euro zone economic data indicates that inflation is heading back towards target as earlier predicted but the European Central Bank still needs more information before it can be sure, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 15 Feb 24

The ECB, meeting in Frankfurt today, have made no changes to euro zone interest rates

ECB keeps rates unchanged, gives no hint of rate cuts

The European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged as expected at a record high today and reaffirmed its commitment to fighting inflation, giving not a hint that policymakers are starting to contemplate policy easing.

Business • 25 Jan 24

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde in the middle of her eight year term at the bank

Lagarde not right person to lead ECB, staff union says

The trade union representing European Central Bank staff says a majority of employees think Christine Lagarde is not the right person to lead the institution, according to a survey it conducted.

Business • 23 Jan 24

Christine Lagarde was speaking to Bloomberg TV at Davos today

ECB's Lagarde says summer rate cut 'likely'

The European Central Bank could start cutting interest rates this summer, president Christine Lagarde said today, while stressing that any such move would depend on the latest economic data.

Business • 17 Jan 24

The ECB is certain to leave borrowing costs at their record highs today

ECB has tough job to fight rate cut bets

The European Central Bank faces a difficult balancing act today as it likely slashes its forecasts for growth and inflation while trying to temper speculation about imminent interest rate cuts.

Business • 14 Dec 23

The European Central Bank is meeting on interest rates later this week

5 questions for the ECB ahead of this week's meeting

Investors seeking to cash in on a policy pivot from the European Central Bank will watch Thursday's meeting for any hint they should sit tight on bets for swift interest rate cuts next year.

Business • 11 Dec 23

Euro zone inflation may rise in coming months - Lagarde

Euro zone inflation could tick up in the coming months but European Central Bank interest rates held at their current level for long enough could still get price growth back to the 2% target, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 10 Nov 23

President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, listening during an EU Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Lagarde bets record high rates will curb inflation

The European Central Bank's record high deposit rate could help cut inflation to 2%, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today, repeating the bank's guidance that neither promises nor rules out further rate hikes.

Business • 25 Sep 23

ECB President Christine Lagarde was speaking at an event in London.

ECB's Lagarde: Pinning inflation expectations is key

Central banks must pin inflation expectations at their targets at a time when changes in the labour and energy markets as well as geopolitica

Business • 04 Sep 23

The European Central Bank has announced another rate increase - as expected - today

ECB raises interest rates again but keeps options open

The European Central Bank raised its deposit rate to a historic high today and kept its options open on whether more increases will be needed to bring down inflation against a worsening economic backdrop.

Business • 27 Jul 23

Speaking at the ECB Forum on Central Banking in Sintra in Portugal, ECB President Christine Lagarde said that rate decisions remain data-dependent

ECB's Lagarde sees no rate peak call in near term

The European Central Bank is unlikely to call a peak in interest rates in the near future and it should not waver in its fight against inflation, ECB President Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 27 Jun 23

ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos has hinted at further interest rate hikes of 25 basis points

ECB nears end of tightening cycle final stretch remains

The European Central Bank has gone through most of its monetary policy tightening to bring inflation back to its medium-term target of 2%, though the cycle is not quite over yet, ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos said today.

Business • 01 Jun 23

The European Central Bank is expected to raise rates for a seventh meeting in a row next week

ECB set to step down to 25 bps rate move on May 4

The European Central Bank will almost certainly add 25 basis points to its deposit rate on May 4 and then take it to 3.5% or higher in June as core inflation remains persistently high, according to economists polled by Reuters.

Business • 25 Apr 23

The dollar's 80-year-old reign as the world's reserve currency is being called into question by some commentators

Euro, dollar status should not be taken for granted

The US and the euro zone should not take the international status of their currencies for granted as countries such as China and Russia seek to create their own systems.

Business • 18 Apr 23

Euro zone inflation to slow, predicts Lagarde

The high rate of inflation in the euro zone ought to come down over the coming months, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said today.

Business • 14 Apr 23