FRANKFURT, July 30 (Reuters) – European Central Bank
President Mario Draghi must back up his pledge to do what it
takes to protect the euro when the bank’s policymakers meet on
Thursday or else face deep disappointment from investors hungry
for – and expecting – immediate action.

In his boldest comments to date, Draghi said last week that,
within its mandate, the ECB was ready to do whatever it takes to
preserve the euro, fuelling expectation the bank could revive
its bond purchase programme as it did a year ago when it started
buying the government debt of Spain and Italy.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – European Central Bank President Mario Draghi must back up his pledge to do what it takes to protect the euro when the bank’s policymakers meet on Thursday or else face deep disappointment from investors hungry for – and expecting – immediate action.

In his boldest comments to date, Draghi said last week that, within its mandate, the ECB was ready to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro, fuelling expectation it could revive its bond purchase program as it did a year ago when it started buying the government debt of Spain and Italy.

FRANKFURT, July 27 (Reuters) – Germany’s powerful Bundesbank
pushed back on Friday against European Central Bank President
Mario Draghi’s pledge to do whatever is necessary to protect the
euro zone from collapse, but markets rallied on a report of
imminent policy action.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that the ECB and euro
zone governments were preparing co-ordinated action to cut
Spanish and Italian borrowing costs. European shares extended
gains to trade some 1 percent higher after the report’s release.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Banks expect to toughen their credit rules further in coming months with demand for loans from firms and consumers remaining weak, underscoring a dilemma facing the European Central Bank in its efforts to revitalise the euro zone’s economy.

Fears about the euro zone’s future are making companies and other borrowers increasingly nervous about taking on credit and investing in their businesses, sapping the bloc’s already weak economy.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Banks expect to toughen their lending rules further in coming months and see feeble demand for loans from firms and consumers, underscoring the dilemma European Central Bank policymakers face as they try to revitalize the euro zone’s economy.

In its latest quarterly Bank Lending Survey, the ECB said 11 percent of banks that took part made it harder for companies to borrow in the second quarter, whereas only one percent eased their requirements. The 10 percent net figure was slightly more than the 9 percent in the first quarter.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European Central Bank may soon become the first of the world’s major central banks to try out negative interest rates on deposits in an attempt to force tight-fisted banks to lend.

Negative rates effectively mean that the ECB would charge banks to hold their money, something the central bankers hope will push them into lending and away from hoarding their cash.

MANNHEIM, Germany, July 17 (Reuters) – German analyst and
investor sentiment dropped for a third consecutive month in
July, a survey showed on Tuesday, providing further evidence
that the euro zone crisis is taking its toll on morale in
Europe’s largest economy.

But the ZEW think tank, which conducts the monthly poll,
said expectations may have now hit bottom and that the outlook
for the rest of the year should prove stable.

FRANKFURT, June 29 (Reuters) – Lending to European firms
contracted in May, quashing hopes that the ECB’s mass injections
of cheap cash might have kick-started confidence and adding to
the central bank’s growing list of reasons to cut interest rates
next week.

ECB data showed on Friday loans to the private sector fell
0.1 percent in May, missing economists’ expectations for 0.1
percent growth and adding to concerns about limp credit demand.

BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) – The euro will survive its toughest crisis to date even without a last minute central bank rescue, the economic adviser of the Bank for International Settlements said on Monday, counting on Europe’s commitment to its single currency.

BIS economist Stephen Cecchetti told Reuters in an interview that a further interest rate cut by the European Central Bank – which some analysts expect to come already next month – would have, at best, limited impact.

FRANKFURT/LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) – Central banks from
Tokyo to London checked their ammunition on Friday in
preparation for any turmoil from Greece’s election, with the
European Central Bank hinting at an interest rate cut and
Britain set to open its coffers.

Tensions were high about how to manage the euro zone’s debt
crisis – epitomised by Greece’s bankruptcy and need for
international aid – and a rare fight broke out between Germany
and France, normally the glue that keeps the bloc together.