European Central Bank

The European Central Bank meets on Thursday, with markets eyeing any nudge towards an interest rate cut as inflation weakens.

The ECB, expected to hold rates at a record 4%, is navigating a tricky path between keeping rates high long enough to contain inflation while not cutting too late as price pressures ease quickly.

In February 2024, inflation in the Eurozone slowed down to 2.6% on an annual basis from 2.8% in January, but slightly more than anticipated, as preliminary data from Eurostat indicates.

Every month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.6% in February compared to the previous month when it decreased by 0.4%.

Speaking at a briefing following a meeting with Croatian Central Bank Governor Boris Vujcic, Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Governor Dimitar Radev highlighted the significant costs associated with delaying entry into the eurozone.

As Bulgaria sets its sights on joining the Eurozone by 2025, Finance Minister Asen Vassilev remains resolute in his commitment, despite ongoing uncertainties surrounding the government's rotation. Speaking from Ghent, where he attended a meeting of EU economy and finance ministers, Minister Vassilev conveyed optimism regarding Bulgaria's economic prospects and Eurozone aspirations.

The European Central Bank won't have enough information to decide on interest-rate cuts until June, even as inflation seems to be on track to reach the 2% target this year, Bank of Greece chief Yannis Stournaras has said.

Speaking to Bloomberg, he said that the "recent set of data suggests we will reach 2% in the autumn of this year."

The fact that the interest rate margin in Greece has been double the European average supports the high profitability of the country's four systemic banks, which in the first nine months of 2023 amounted to 2.8 billion euros out of a total of €131.1 billion which was the total profitability of the 109 systemic banks supervised by the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) of the European Central Ba

Weaker exports, costly energy and a stuttering green transition have combined to form a "perfect storm" for the German economy, leaving Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition bickering over how to change course.

The government will unveil its latest economic forecasts for 2024 on Wednesday, with media reports suggesting a sharp downgrade to a mere 0.2 percent growth.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras has told Kathimerini he expects the European Central Bank to start reducing interest rates this summer, as inflation is easing much faster than expected.

European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers are expected to keep interest rates steady on Jan. 25 and signal they are in no hurry to start slashing borrowing costs despite progress against inflation.

The Frankfurt institute is tipped to pause for the third meeting in a row following a historic run of hikes to tame runaway prices, leaving the benchmark deposit rate at 4 percent.

The majority in Bulgaria's parliament has given the green light to the first reading of a new law governing the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), marking a pivotal moment in the country's journey toward Eurozone accession. The legislation, if passed, will play a crucial role in facilitating Bulgaria's entry into the Eurozone.