A PEPP talk like no other: Important decisions for the European Central Bank to make

Will interest rates rise – and at what pace?

The European Central Bank (ECB) governing council is meeting again on Thursday, a full six weeks since its last get-together, to review and set regional monetary conditions and, importantly, to update its economic forecasts for the remainder of 2021 and beyond.

At the conclusion of its 22 April meeting, ECB policymakers elected to maintain key regional interest rates on hold at record low levels. Despite the vaccine roll-out, economic unlocking and a pronounced increase in inflation fears, these core rates are unlikely to be adjusted and, furthermore, seem certain to remain in place for some time to come. While there were no surprises at that last meeting, it was clear that some important decisions would need to be taken at this, the next policy-setting debate. Investment Conundrums: Barclays' Hobbs on why gold and bitcoin look 'vulnerabl...