(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 28 - The bottlenecks in global trade "are clouding the prospects" for economic activity in the next few quarters, and the rise in energy prices "could reduce purchasing power in the coming months". This was stated by ECB President Christine Lagarde in the press conference at the end of the Governing Council in which it was decided to leave the rates unchanged (the main rate at zero, the tax on deposits at -0.50% and the marginal loan rate at 0.25 %) and to continue the purchases of the pandemic program until March. Lagarde also dismissed the hypothesis of a tight money market in the "near future", explaining that "the conditions for a rate hike are unlikely to occur in the timing expected by the markets", ie in 2022.Also because inflation, expected to rise further in the next few months, "in the expectations of the ECB will decrease in the course of 2022".
(HANDLE).