European Central Bank policymakers discussed the flexibility and target of the bank's emergency bond purchases that were unveiled to support the euro area economy amid the disruption caused by the coronavirus, or Covid-19, pandemic, the minutes of the July 15-16 policy meeting showed on Thursday. In July, the ECB Governing Council left its key interest rates and the volume of its asset purchases unchanged as policymakers saw early signs of a gradual economic recovery from the slump induced by the coronavirus pandemic, but significant uncertainty regarding the outlook.
The flexibility of the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme, or PEPP, was highlighted as the key element of its effectiveness and efficiency in policy transmission, the minutes, which the ECB calls "account", showed. The minutes showed that some policymakers wanted to fix the asset purchase target for the EUR 1,350 billion PEPP as its ceiling, citing better-than-expected data in recent weeks. "The argument was also made that the flexibility of the PEPP suggested that the net purchase envelope should be considered a ceiling rather than a target," the minutes said. "The point was made that incoming data had surprised on the upside and some of the downside risks surrounding the outlook prevailing at the time of the Governing Council's June monetary policy meeting had receded, increasing the possibility that the envelope might not have to be deployed fully."
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.