he European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday confirmed monthly purchases of $80 billion in government paper, known as the quantitative easing (QE) programme while interest rates remained flat or come lower for a prolonged period with the principal rate at 0.00%, the bank deposit rate at -0.40% and refinancing rates at 0.25%.
According to the FED, the recovery after the crisis of 2008 is coming along nicely although it is a bit slower in Europe. The FOMC is still debating whether a rise in interest rates is indicated, and December seems to be the right month for another rise of 25 basis points.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) should close the third quarter with a profit oscillating between seven and nine billion francs, mainly due to the favorable performance of the stock markets, according to UBS estimates.
The gold market, the foreign currencies position and bond markets are slightly wavy. The report on the exercise of the SNB for the July-September quarter is expected on October 31.
Greece has completed new economic reforms to receive the latest tranche from its 86 billion euro bailout fund. Euro zone ministers gave Athens a positive review of its reforms while withholding part of a new loan payment. They disbursed a €1.1 billion loan but postponed its decision on a further €1.7 billion payout to later in October.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will not join the Greek bailout program but will accept a special role as advisory status with limited powers, according to Reuters’ sources. “A special advisory status with limited powers that keeps IMF at the table”, looks like the most possible scenario, Reuters reporting two senior sources.
"Pure fantasy," in this way Michel Best, Bundesbank spokesman denied the rumor that European Central Bank (ECB) might be considering a taper after the bond buying program gets concluded in March 2017, which would be earlier than expected.
Italy launched its first 50-year Bond on Tuesday. Like Spain, France and Belgium, in a statement, the Italian Finance Ministry said the bond would mature on March 1, 2067 and would be issued “in the near future”, as widely announced in recent weeks. The sale was arranged by Banca IMI, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs, HSBC France, JP Morgan Securities and Unicredit.
Italy joined other euro zone countries that have locked in historically low rates by selling ultra-long debt this year.
The ECB President Mario Draghi has vigorously defended the measures before German parliamentarians that in recent months had not spared criticism. In his speech at the Bundestag (German Parliament), he responded to German concerns by saying that "The rates have to be low today to allow a return to higher rates in the future" and that "to get all the benefits of monetary policy measures, other policies should contribute more firmly", both at national and European level.
