Dirty secret That’s where Germany comes in. The dirty little secret of European R&D spending is that half of it comes from Germany. And most of that investment flows into one sector: automotive. While that might seem obvious given the sector’s size (the German auto industry’s annual revenue is nearly half a trillion euros), it’s not where … Read more
European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said Monday eurozone policymakers would keep cutting interest rates and warned that higher US tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump could hit growth in the bloc. “Even though we are not there yet, we are close to achieving our target” of two-percent inflation, Lagarde said in a speech at the … Read more
The European Central Bank delivered an expected quarter-point interest rate cut this week — and alongside the announcement came several indications that rates will swiftly move even lower early next year. ECB President Christine Lagarde did note during her Thursday press conference that policymakers gathered in Frankfurt did not believe the fight against inflation is … Read more
The ECB also refrained from offering new guidance on the expected speed and scope of interest rate cuts next year, repeating that it will stick to a “data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting approach.” “Most measures of underlying inflation suggest that inflation will settle at around the Governing Council’s 2 percent medium-term target on a sustained basis,” the … Read more
The German ZEW sentiment index on Tuesday painted a dire picture, with the assessment of the current situation now almost as bad as it was at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in spring 2020. ZEW head Achim Wambach said “the hope for a swift improvement in the economic situation is visibly fading.” For Centeno, … Read more
With inflation slowing and the economic outlook darkening, the European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates again Thursday but is unlikely to give much away about its next moves. After raising rates at a record pace from mid-2022 to tackle surging consumer prices, the ECB has begun to ease the pressure as inflation … Read more
This article is part of the Brussels Survival Guide. There’s plenty to pay attention to in the new cohort entering the European Parliament — including, of course, the people. See below our guide on key figures across the policy palette. Céline Imart AGRICULTURAL DISRUPTOR European People’s Party, France A cereal farmer from Occitania in France, she … Read more
Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on June 28, 2024. Charles Mcquillan/tas24 | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Tuesday that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is not alone in keeping inflation high across the euro zone. … Read more
Thursday’s decision will mark the first time in over two decades that it will have lowered borrowing costs in response to a classical easing of inflation pressures, rather than a financial catastrophe hitting the currency union. As such, Lagarde, who has often been criticized for lacking central banking expertise, has won a major battle. But … Read more
The President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde gestures as she addresses a press conference following the meeting of the governing council of the ECB in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on April 11, 2024. Kirill Kudryavtsev | Afp | Getty Images The prospect of the European Central Bank diverging from the Federal … Read more
