The ECB will hold its press conference on Thursday September 10th.
Here is what we expect:
- They will update their macro-economic projections. We do not expect material changes (ECB projections are already low), however we believe that they could lower both their GDP and Inflation forecasts, hence sending a dovish signal to the market.
- The Euro has rallied significantly over the summer, which is boosting the case for more monetary stimulus (especially with very low inflation and core inflation). Even if we do not anticipate the announcement of such actions, Mrs. Lagarde will have to introduce potential actions before year-end. What are the ECB’s options?
- Policy makers know that their “words” can have an effect on markets, so they may “talk” about the Euro in the context of monetary policy. Mentioning that the strength of the euro is an issue for the ECB, is an easy and cheap way to intervene. But if that does not work, it can put the ECB’s credibility at risk.
- Asset purchases: They could increase the size of the current programs, merge them, increase the length…
- The ECB could communicate that cutting the deposit rate is an option, perhaps coupled with new TLTRO (or better terms) in order to counterbalance the negative effects on banks.
- The ECB could also announce a higher inflation target or flexibility regarding a potential inflation overshoot. However, to be efficient, the ECB has to be credible, which is not the case anymore on the inflation front.
The ECB is in a very difficult situation: very low core inflation, negative headline inflation, appreciating Euro…Historically speaking, these developments would have led to a very dovish and immediate response from the ECB. The issue here is that the ECB is almost out of options: they could cut the deposit rate, but what would be the impact of going from -0.5% to -0.6%? They can increase the size of the programs, and they will at some point, but again, the impacts on inflation and the Euro are not obvious. The ECB may be worried about the appreciation of the Euro and very low inflation, but that does not mean it can do much about it.
Disclaimer
This commentary is intended for non-professional investors within the meaning of MiFID II. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a forecast, research product or investment advice and should not be construed as such. It may not constitute investment advice or an offer, invitation or recommendation to invest in particular investments or to adopt any investment strategy. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. The opinions expressed by La Française Group are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. These opinions may differ from those of other investment professionals. Published by La Française AM Finance Services, head office located at 128 boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris, France, a company regulated by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel as an investment services provider, no. 18673 X, a subsidiary of La Française. La Française Asset Management was approved by the AMF under no. GP97076 on 1 July 1997.