What The ECB's "Unprecedented" Forward Guidance Means
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Confused what the (non) news of today's "unprecedented" forward guidance announcement by the ECB means? Shocked that the ECB is about as dovish as it has ever been, after having missed the following chart showing the record low European bank lending to the private sector which predicted all of today's action (Stolper's long EURUSD reco fade notwithstanding)...
Then SocGen is here to explain, if only for all those who are seemingly stunned that the ECB isn't planning on hiking rates, or even "tapering" any time soon.
"Forward Guidance" Introduced, from SocGenThe ECB came out with all dovish guns blazing today to reverse the tightening in money and financial market conditions since June, stoking a rally in euribor futures (lower rates) but causing the EUR to drop nearly 1% vs the USD. The only thing that was missing today was a cut in the refi rate and/or negative deposit rate, but neither has not been ruled out given that downside growth risks continue to exist. Casting better macro data side, the ECB officially introduced ‘forward guidance' on rates and said exit is “very distant”.
The introduction of ‘forward guidance' characterises the fact that all key ECB rates will stay low for a longer period. This makes the ECB fall in line with the guidance by the US FOMC on the Fed funds target, the Bank of Canada and most probably, the BoE in August. Put on the spot during the press conference, president Draghi rejected claims the ECB had come off the proverbial fence in response to a changed outlook for US monetary policygiven the spill over effect from a steeper US yield curve across the Atlantic and the steepening impact on eurozone core and periphery debt markets. Taking after the BoE earlier (a coincidence, Draghi said), the ECB is worried that the tightening in financial conditions will handicap the prospects for economic recovery in the euro area where the credit growth remains very weak and fragmented.
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