Jacques Delors Institut – Berlin, Bertelsmann Stiftung (ed.)

Low interest rates: Is the ECB’s policy correct?

Europa Briefing

Format Type
PDF
Date of publication
20/11/2017
Edition
1. edition
Volume/Format
5 pages, PDF

Price

Free of charge

Description

Since 2013, inflation in the euro area has been too low. In order to revive the economy and bring inflation back to target, the European Central Bank has implemented a low interest-rate policy which includes a bond-buying programme known as quantitative easing or QE. The ECB’s measures, including historically ultra-low interest rates, also bear risks. For example, some observers fear the formation of a bubble in real estate and stock markets or complain about one-sided capital gains for wealthy households.