ECB monetary policy was uneventful in terms of new policy signals – Danske Bank

Reviewing the European Central Bank's (ECB) January meeting, "today's ECB monetary policy was uneventful in terms of new policy signals, as Christine Lagarde refrained from giving clues about future of monetary policy, because data since the December meeting was broadly in line with expectations," said Danske Bank analysts.

Key quotes

"As we expected, the ECB left its growth risk assessment as skewed on the downside, while acknowledging some stabilisation in euro area growth dynamics and less pronounced risks surrounding international trade since December. With regard to core inflation, Lagarde also reiterated the message of recent moderate increases (from 'mild' increases in December)."

"Should the macro backdrop, including the inflation outlook, stay robust around the current level, we see a solid case for the ECB changing its growth risk assessment in H1 20 (potentially as early as the March meeting), together with the new staff projections."

"However, while resilient core inflation, in combination with a strengthening cyclical rebound, could be enough to convince the ECB to drop the easing bias in H1 20, we doubt it will be enough to take the ECB back into tightening mode in the near future."