The What and Why of ECB Bond Buying; For How, Watch This Space

Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), right, in Frankfurt, Germany.
Photographer: Martin Leissl/Bloomberg

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By David Goodman, Lucy Meakin and Eshe Nelson

January 22, 2015 at 6:39 PM UTC

Updated on

January 23, 2015 at 8:43 AM UTC

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Mario Draghi has told bondholders the what and the why of the European Central Bank’s quantitative-easing plan. He stopped short of telling them the how.

Investors do know that the bond-buying plan will begin in March and amount to 60 billion euros ($68 billion) a month, based on what the ECB president said at a news conference in Frankfurt on Thursday. It’s intended to run until the end of September 2016 and purchases will be made until the ECB is satisfied inflation is back in line with its target.