–Adds Comments on Liquidity, Rate Outlook
BARCELONA, Spain (MNI) – The European Central Bank Governing
Council did not discuss any specific proposal to lower interest rates at
its meeting Thursday, ECB President Mario Draghi said here.
“We didn’t discuss any specific move on interest rates,” Draghi
told journalists after the Council’s external meeting here. “We
certainly discussed our general monetary policy stance, which we found
accommodative in view of an economic outlook which becomes more
uncertain.”
Responding to a question, Draghi said that any talk of an exit
strategy would be premature and reiterated that “we never precommit” to
rate changes.
“Both nominal interest rates are low; real short-term interest
rates are negative in all Eurozone countries,” he said. “No one would
deny that liquidity remains abundant.”
Draghi said that risks to the outlook for inflation remained
“broadly balanced”, with upside risks emanating from commodities and
indirect taxes and downside risks from weaker than expected economic
activity.
–London Bureau; Tel: +44 207 8627492; email: ukeditorial@marketnews.com
[TOPICS: M$X$$$,M$$EC$,M$$CR$,MGX$$$,MT$$$$,M$S$$$]
