The European Central Bank (ECB) executed its 10th consecutive interest rate hike on Thursday to grapple with soaring inflation. Yet, a potential pause in rate increases looms on the horizon. Managing the currency for 20 euro-using countries, the ECB elevated its deposit rate from 3.75% to a historic 4%.
Market observers and economists largely anticipate this policy tightening to culminate with a protracted hiatus, possibly leading to rate reductions in the latter half of the coming year.
Expectations were initially skewed towards the ECB maintaining status quo in this meeting. However, a shift occurred when sources close to the discussions hinted at the ECB revising its inflation forecast for 2024 upward.
In an official statement, the ECB conveyed, “Based on its current assessment. The Governing Council considers that the key ECB interest rates have reached levels that. Maintained for a sufficiently long duration, will make a substantial contribution to the timely return of inflation to the target.“
The ECB’s policymakers are grappling with a dual challenge—escalating inflation and recessionary concerns. Inflation continues to hover above 5%, showing no signs of retreating to the ECB’s 2% target in the foreseeable future.
This persistence is attribute to a tight labor market driving wage growth and elevate energy expenses sustaining price levels. However, the economy’s growth outlook is diminishing, partly due to heightened interest rates. Even the service sector, once resilient, is showing signs of weakening, amplifying recession risks.
The ECB’s latest economic projections acknowledge these shifts and potentially raise the specter of stagflation, marked by economic stagnation paired with elevated inflation.
The inflation outlook for the upcoming year now stands at 3.2%, an uptick from the 3.0% projection three months earlier. Growth forecasts have been temper to 0.7% for the current year and 1.0% for 2024.
The ECB affirm, “Inflation continues to decline but is still expecte to remain too high for too long. The Governing Council is determine to ensure that inflation returns to its 2% medium-term target in a timely manner.”
Furthermore, they emphasize, “The Governing Council’s future decisions will ensure that the key ECB interest rates will be set at sufficiently restrictive levels for as long as necessary.”
Prior to this meeting, dissension within the Governing Council was minimal. The focal debate revolved around whether the ECB’s efforts were sufficient or if an additional rate hike was requisite to align inflation with the 2025 target.