Growth in the euro area will continue to slow
Posted by admin on September 9th, 2011The horizon of the global economy darkens. The European Central Bank (ECB) has lowered on Thursday its growth forecasts for 2011 and 2012, warning that the level of uncertainty is extremely high. The guardian of the euro expected to grow 1.6% in 2011 and 1.3% in 2012 in the euro area, against 1.9% and 1.7% previously forecast.
"Uncertainty" was in this context, the key word of the monthly press conference of ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet: "There is a huge level of uncertainty in the world." The risk is now the forecasts rather than the ECB may be too optimistic, he implied. And, because of the negative effects of the crisis in financial markets observed this summer and the debt crisis in the euro zone in particular.
After a good start to the year, growth "will be very moderate later this year," warned the president of the ECB. Consumption may be lacking. "Unlike recent months, the ECB no longer considered as the confidence of consumers and entrepreneurs will support domestic demand," says Ken Wattret, chief euro zone economist at BNP Paribas. In the early morning, the Bank of France has published growth prospects for the Hexagon journals also down for the third quarter (0.1% versus 0.2% previously).
For inflation, the ECB has not touched its projections. It still expects 2.6% price increase in 2011 and 1.7% in 2012. As the guarantor of price stability in the euro zone estimated a few months ago that inflation was under pressure, it recognized that today the risks were "balanced."A code word meaning that it did not expect an acceleration in prices in coming months. It therefore left unchanged its interest rates, it increases instruments when it believes that inflation is accelerating payday loans lenders.
Despite the alarmist tone about the economic environment, "we do not think that the ECB will lower interest rates anytime soon," said Cedric Thellier, economist at Natixis. "We expect a rather long status quo accompanying amorphous growth and low inflation."
The rush of blood against the United States of Trichet
Questioned by a reporter relaying German criticism against the alleged lack of independence of the ECB under the European Treaties, Jean-Claude Trichet has lost some of his cool. "We're doing our job, which is not easy," he said."Our mission is to ensure price stability, what we have done so impeccable. I'd love to hear praise for the work today! "He exclaimed.
Some German observers, very attached to monetary orthodoxy, condemned the purchase of bonds by the ECB. "If we had to implement this program, because states have not acted properly. He did not exercise sufficient oversight they should have. Remember, in 2004 and 2005, some governments-France, Germany and Italy, not to name-calling for the relaxation of their obligations "deficit, he accused. "We have always asked the contrary full compliance criteria deficit.But we have not preached in the desert. "
In this context, Jean-Claude Trichet reiterated, on behalf of the ECB, the extreme urgency for the States to implement measures to restore the balance of public finances. "Governments must be prepared to cut spending if targets are not met," he said. He also called for the deregulation of regulated professions.
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