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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

ECB raises 2015 inflation outlook (EUR, USD)

Mario Draghi is speaking following the European Central Bank's latest monetary policy decision. In his opening remarks, Draghi said that low oil prices should help private consumption and demand, and said that the decline in the euro is expected to bolster trade for euro area countries.  Draghi also said that inflation bottomed out earlier this year, and while inflation is expected to increase later this year, it will remain low in the coming months. Draghi outlined that the ECB sees GDP growing 1.5% in 2015, 1.9% in 2016, and 2% in 2017.  The 2015 and 2016 forecasts are unchanged, while the 2017 forecast is a 0.1% downgrade from the ECB's March outlook. The ECB's outlook for inflation was increased for 2015, to 0.3% from 0%, while the 2016 and 2017 inflation outlooks were unchanged.  The ECB kept interest rates unchanged earlier on Wednesday, as expected. The bank maintained a -0.2% deposit rate, a 0.05% main refinancing rate, and a 0.3% marginal lending facility rate.  As he has in past press conferences, Draghi again said that a broader turnaround in the euro area economy, structural fiscal reforms are needed in order for companies and households to take advantage of the ECB's current easy monetary policy stance.  In response to a question on Greece, Draghi said there needs to be a "strong agreement" between Greece and the ECB, by which he said an agreement which has strong reforms, social fairness, and ensures growth for the Greek economy. Draghi added the ECB wants Greece to stay in the euro.  With regard to the leak of comments from ECB official Benoit Couere, Draghi said it was a "mistake" and said there will certainly be a change to rules regarding meetings between ECB officials and investors. In that situation, Couere gave a speech to investors a full day before it was set live on the ECB site.  The main focus during the conference be what ECB president Mario Draghi has to say in his press conference, though markets do not expect he will announce any plans for the ECB to change its current quantitative easing program.  Currently the ECB is buying €60 billion worth of bonds each month and plans to do so through September 2016.  Investors will be looking for comments from Draghi regarding this program, as well as the recent increase in bond yields in the eurozone, and any commentary regarding situation in Greece.  This post will be updated as Draghi speaks. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's what happens when you get bitten by a black widow


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.businessinsider.com