BRUSSELS (TIP)- The European Central Bank cut interest rates for the third time this year on Thursday, saying inflation in the euro zone was increasingly under control while the outlook for the wider economy was worsening.
The first back-to-back rate cut in 13 years marks a shift in focus for the euro zone’s central bank from bringing down inflation to protecting economic growth, which has lagged far behind that of the United States for two years straight.
“We believe the disinflationary process is well on track and all the information we received in the last five weeks were heading in the same direction – lower,” ECB President Christine Lagarde told a press conference after an ECB statement which also noted “recent downside surprises” on economic activity.
Those data are likely to have tilted the balance within the ECB in favour of a rate cut, with business activity and sentiment surveys as well as the inflation reading for September all coming in slightly lower than expected. Asked about the prospect of higher tariffs on European goods if Donald Trump wins next month’s US presidential election, Lagarde said any trade obstacles were a “downside” for Europe.
“Any restriction, any uncertainty, any obstacles to trade matter for an economy like the European economy, which is very open,” she said, adding that the ECB was also “very attentive” to possible oil price moves linked to the Middle East conflict.
However she added: “We certainly do not see a recession. We are still looking at that soft landing.”
The quarter-point cut lowers the rate that the ECB pays on banks’ deposits to 3.25%. Money markets are almost fully pricing in three further reductions through next March. The ECB did not provide any indication about future moves in its statement, instead repeating its mantra that decisions will be made “meeting by meeting” based on incoming data.
The euro and euro bond yields edged up after the decision which had been well flagged by a number of ECB speakers including President Christine Lagarde.
The ECB can finally claim it has all but tamed the worst bout of inflation in at least a generation. Prices grew by just 1.7% last month, falling below the bank’s 2% target for the first time in three years. Source: Reuters

Absolutely written content, thanks for entropy.
I just could not depart your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often to check up on new posts
Great goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just too great. I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it smart. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is really a great web site.
Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!
It’s actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
My coder is trying to convince me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on numerous websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress content into it? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!
I just couldn’t depart your website prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often in order to check up on new posts
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.” by Ambrose Gwinett Bierce.
Attractive element of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your weblog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing on your augment or even I success you access constantly rapidly.
Wow! Thank you! I continuously wanted to write on my site something like that. Can I include a part of your post to my blog?
Simply wanna tell that this is invaluable, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
This website can be a stroll-by means of for the entire info you needed about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse right here, and also you’ll undoubtedly discover it.
Hello there I am so excited I found your website, I really found you by error, while I was researching on Bing for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a tremendous post and a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the minute but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the excellent work.
As I website owner I conceive the written content here is rattling good, appreciate it for your efforts.
Some truly nice and useful information on this web site, likewise I believe the layout has fantastic features.
What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to contribute & aid different customers like its helped me. Great job.
I conceive this website has got some real good information for everyone :D. “I like work it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” by Jerome K. Jerome.
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
I am curious to find out what blog platform you’re working with? I’m having some minor security problems with my latest website and I would like to find something more safe. Do you have any recommendations?
You could definitely see your expertise within the paintings you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart. “If you feel yourself falling, let go and glide.” by Steffen Francisco.
Good day! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site? I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
Regards for this marvelous post, I am glad I discovered this web site on yahoo.
I just like the valuable info you supply to your articles. I’ll bookmark your weblog and take a look at again here regularly. I am somewhat sure I will be told many new stuff right right here! Good luck for the next!
Together with every little thing that appears to be developing within this subject matter, all your points of view are actually very radical. Even so, I appologize, but I do not subscribe to your whole plan, all be it stimulating none the less. It would seem to me that your opinions are actually not completely rationalized and in fact you are generally your self not completely convinced of the assertion. In any case I did enjoy reading through it.
I believe this web site has got some rattling fantastic information for everyone :D. “America is not merely a nation but a nation of nations.” by Lyndon B. Johnson.
Regards for this marvellous post, I am glad I detected this site on yahoo.
You made a number of nice points there. I did a search on the matter and found a good number of people will agree with your blog.