–Current Rate Stance Appropriate To Deliver Med-Tm Price Stability

LONDON (MNI) – Euro zone inflation rates could temporarily increase
further but will achieve stability again at the end of 2011,
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said today.

At the press conference following the ECB monthly governing
council meeting, Trichet said:

“We consider that inflation rates could temporarily increase
further” – adding – “going back to price stability by the end of the
year”

“We consider our inflation expectations to be firmly anchored,”
Trichet continued.

“We are permanently alert. We are never pre-committed not to move
interest rates”

“We have now 12 years of the euro. The average yearly inflation
over 12 years in the euro area is 1.97%”

“This is something that is remarkable in terms of track record,” he
added.

Trichet reiterarted that the ECB would do all that was needed to
deliver price stability:

“As regards our monetary policy it is absolutely crystal clear we
always do what is necessary to deliver price stability.”

Stressing that the council considered current official interest
rates to be appropriate, Trichet said that the decision on when to
remove non-standard monetary measures would be taken independently of
decisions on rates:

“We are really taking the decision on the non-standard measures
totally independently of the decision on the interest rate!”

Today’s decision by the Council to leave the current policy
settings of the ECB intact would produce price stability over the medium
term, Trichet said:

“Taking into account our economic analysis and our monetary
analysis we consider our present interest rate appropriate to deliver
price stability in the medium term…If we have to change our interest
rate, again we are never pre-committed … and we proved that in the
past by deeds and not by words.”

The ECB’s track record had been key to underpinning the present low
level of inflation expectations:

“This is the reason by the way why our inflation expectations are
very well anchored in comparison with a number of other inflation
expectations the world over”

–London newsroom: 0044-207-634-1624: email: ukeditorial@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MT$$$$,M$$EC$,M$X$$$]