ECB and EUR price, news and analysis:
- The European Central Bank has left all its key interest rates unchanged, as was widely expected, and its bond-buying program at €20 billion per month.
- Also as expected, the ECB has confirmed that it will launch a strategic review of topics ranging from its inflation target to climate change.
- In response, EUR/USD[1] held steady ahead of a press conference by ECB President Christine Lagarde at 1330 GMT.
ECB to redefine its goals
The European Central Bank has confirmed a strategic policy review that could lead to a change in its current inflation target of below, but close to, 2% in the medium term. Other topics could include digital currencies and climate change and the review could take a year to complete.
The statement came as the ECB left all its key interest rates and its €20 billion per month asset-purchase program where they were, as widely expected by analysts polled by the news agencies. That left EUR[2]/USD[3] little changed ahead of a press conference by ECB President Christine Lagarde at 1330 GMT.
EUR/USD Price Chart, Five-Minute Timeframe (January 23, 2020)
Chart by IG (You can click on it for a larger image)
Lagarde will be listened to closely for indications on whether she will follow the ultra-easy monetary policies of her predecessor Mario Draghi amid doubts among some members of its rate-setting Governing Council about the efficacy of keeping the monetary taps wide open amid early signs of an improvement in the Eurozone economy.
In the meantime, the ECB said it sees interest rates at their present or lower levels until the inflation outlook converges robustly to its target. It also said it sees its asset-purchase program running for as long as necessary
