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ECB Signals No Hurry to Cut Rates as Markets Price Out December Easing

Investors await December projections that could shape 2026–27 policy.

A view shows the entrance of La Grande Epicerie de Paris, a three-story food hall, in the 16th district of Paris, France, November 8, 2017.  REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
Croatia's central bank governor Boris Vujcic poses for a picture during an interview with Reuters in Zagreb, Croatia, January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic/File Photo
A view of European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany July 18, 2024. REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch/File Photo
European Union flags flutter outside the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, April 21, 2016. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski

Overview

  • Accounts of the Oct. 29–30 meeting highlighted a "high option value" in waiting, with rates described as robust enough to manage shocks.
  • Some policymakers said the rate‑cutting cycle may have ended, contingent on risks not materialising in the outlook.
  • Market pricing now shows virtually no chance of a cut on Dec. 18 and roughly a one‑in‑three probability of further easing in 2026.
  • The ECB’s October consumer survey put inflation expectations at 2.8% for one year ahead, 2.5% at three years, and 2.2% at five years, reinforcing a path near target.
  • Latvia’s Martins Kazaks said it is too early to discuss another cut and stressed the 2026–27 projections, while Croatia’s Boris Vujcic urged avoiding policy micromanagement and cutting only if the inflation path declines without a rebound.