4 Comments

The emphasis by KNOTT et al on raising rates is because Lagarde is so fearful of fragmentation of sovereign debt spreads if QT begins in earnest.The German debt is the HQLA putting a bid to Bunds as it is used for collateral purposes.Until the EU has genuine fiscal harmonization the fear rests on Lagarde to take the least disruptive route----raing rates but even Knott noted in the FT three weeks ago that over a 1/3 of the voters desired 75 basis point increase

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The hawk/dove analysis chart seems to be a Protestant/Catholic chart, except for Austria.

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Comparisons to the FED are expected, and sensible, especially regarding policy and maybe general communication strategy. But just dropping a line "do it like the FED" seems somewhat rush. EU institutions are still "young" enough, and out of my head I can think of two more, the Commission and especially the European Court of Justice, that do not allow for the publication of dissenting opinions.

The calls for salient deliberations are noble, but it will take a huge leap of supranational faith.

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I am only an observer but it seems the answer is always more spending - lower interest rates -

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