ECB Chief Says Uncertainty Exceptionally High

RTTNews | 117 days ago
ECB Chief Says Uncertainty Exceptionally High

(RTTNews) - European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said the level of uncertainty is exceptionally high and maintaining stability has become difficult.

"The level of uncertainty we are facing is exceptionally high," she said at a conference organized by the Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability at Goethe University Frankfurt on Wednesday.

The central bank chief noted that uncertainties surrounding trade policy and geopolitical situations are too high. She said policymakers are facing a new two-sided shocks, mainly linked to trade and defense, as well as climate change, which can amplify or counteract the existing forces.

"Maintaining stability in a new era will be a formidable task," said Lagarde.

"It will require an absolute commitment to our inflation target, the ability to parse which types of shocks will require a monetary reaction and the agility to react appropriately," the banker added.

Lagarde observed that central bankers need to show agility to adjust their stance and their tools to changing circumstances. Moreover, they will need intellectual curiosity to challenge established principles and conventional wisdom, the banker noted.

At the March rate-setting meeting, the ECB had cut its key interest rates for the fifth policy session in a row. The bank repeatedly said that it will not pre-commit to a particular rate path.

read more
Eurozone Retail Sales Drop For First Time In 5 Months; Services Output Fall

Eurozone Retail Sales Drop For First Time In 5 Months; Services Output Fall

Euro area retail sales decreased for the first time in five months and services production declined in May, suggesting a slowdown in the second quarter. Retail sales logged a monthly fall of 0.7 percent in May, reversing April's 0.3 percent increase, Eurostat reported Monday. Sales were expected to drop 0.8 percent. Another data from Eurostat showed that services production decreased 0.3 percen
RTTNews | 17h 42min ago
Eurozone Investor Confidence Strongest In More Than 3 Years

Eurozone Investor Confidence Strongest In More Than 3 Years

Eurozone investor confidence rose to the highest level in more than three years in July suggesting that fears of recession triggered by the US tariff shocks are completely off the table, survey data from the behavioral research institute Sentix showed on Monday. The investor confidence index advanced to 4.5 in July from 0.2 in June. The reading was the highest since February 2022 and also stayed
RTTNews | 19h 30min ago
German Industrial Production Rebounds In May

German Industrial Production Rebounds In May

Germany's industrial production rebounded in May driven by robust demand for automobile and pharmaceutical products, official data revealed on Monday. Data released by Destatis showed that industrial production grew 1.2 percent in May from a month ago, confounding expectations for a decline of 0.6 percent. Output in April was revised down to show a 1.6 percent fall compared to the 1.4 percent d
RTTNews | 19h 58min ago
German Factory Orders Log Bigger-Than-Expected Fall

German Factory Orders Log Bigger-Than-Expected Fall

Germany's factory orders declined more than expected in May on falling demand from both the domestic market and other euro area economies, official data revealed on Friday. Factory orders decreased 1.4 percent from a month ago, Destatis reported. Orders were expected to drop 0.2 percent after an upwardly revised 1.6 percent rise in April. Orders declined for the first time in four months.
RTTNews | 3 days ago
Eurozone Private Sector Expands More Than Estimated

Eurozone Private Sector Expands More Than Estimated

The euro area private sector expanded more than previously estimated in June as both manufacturing and services sectors registered higher output, final survey results from S&P Global showed on Thursday. The HCOB final composite output index advanced to 50.6 in June from 50.2 in May. The reading was well above the flash estimate of 50.2.
RTTNews | 4 days ago
Eurozone Inflation Hits ECB Target

Eurozone Inflation Hits ECB Target

Euro area inflation rose slightly to hit the European Central Bank's 2 percent target in June on slower fall in energy prices and the rise in services inflation, flash estimate from Eurostat showed on Tuesday. Annual inflation climbed to 2.0 percent in June from 1.9 percent in May. The rate reached the inflation target and also matched economists' expectations.
RTTNews | 6 days ago
Eurozone Manufacturing Sector Contraction Slows In June

Eurozone Manufacturing Sector Contraction Slows In June

Eurozone manufacturing activity contracted at a slower pace in June as output showed a sustained expansion and total new work stabilized ending a 37-month period of decline, final survey data from S&P Global showed on Tuesday. The HCOB manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index posted 49.5 in June, up from 49.4 in May. This was the highest score since August 2022.
RTTNews | 6 days ago