ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane said in an interview that “we expect to raise rates further”. But “each meeting is different” and “one platform for considering a very large hike, such as 75 basis points, is no longer there.”
“When we were at zero, that did not correspond to anyone’s idea of the interest rate level necessary. Going to 1.5 per cent is still below where we need to go,” he said. “But the more you’ve already done on a cumulative basis, that changes the pros and cons of any given increment.”
“I don’t think December is going to be the last rate hike” he said. “Trying to jump forward to February, to March, to May or June next year, I think it’s too early to have very strong views at this point… The more relevant argument than whether to pause is to move at the appropriate time to smaller increments.”