ECB Backed Full Optionality on Rates But Felt in ‘Good Place’

European Central Bank officials in December supported retaining flexibility over interest rates despite being generally content with the current stance.

“It was important for the Governing Council to maintain full optionality in either direction for future meetings and to be agile in order to react quickly, if necessary, to new information that changed the outlook, or to large shocks,” the ECB said Thursday in an account of their meeting.