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European Central Bank (ECB)

The European Central Bank monitors the monetary policy of the eurozone, with the main objective being to maintain price stability.

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All Content on this topic

ECB headquarters in Frankfurt

Euro drops to 11-year low

The euro has dropped to its lowest level in over a decade ahead of a highly anticipated ECB meeting.
March 5, 2015

Eurogroup approves Greece bailout extension

Finance ministers of the 19-member eurozone countries have endorsed a bailout extension for Greece.
February 24, 2015
Flagge EU Griechenland Fahne Symbolbild

Tsipras 'certain' of a deal

The Greek prime minister has said he is "certain" a deal will be reached over Athens' credit line.
February 20, 2015
Saplings On Stack Of Coins Representing Growth

Eurozone economy grows

An important survey of business owners has shown the eurozone economy gaining momentum.
February 20, 2015
The headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany

The ECB's thinking on QE

Newly released records offer a clear picture of the thinking behind the European Central Bank's decision on bond buying.
February 19, 2015
Greek flag

Extra liqudity for Greek banks

The ECB has thrown Greek banks an extended lifeline after it extended and increased liquidity through its ELA program.
February 18, 2015
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arrives ahead of the European Council Summit at the European Union (EU) Headquarters in Brussels

Greece to ask for credit extension

Athens is sending a letter to the Eurogroup, requesting a six-month extension of its current credit program.
February 18, 2015
Alexis Tsipras

Tsipras takes on European Union in Brussels

Greece's prime minister sounds an optimistic tone at his first EU summit.
February 12, 2015
Merkel, Renzi, David

Merkel to watch euro nations

Merkel says Germany will scrutinize reform efforts to make sure euro nations don’t slack under a new stimulus plan.
January 23, 2015
Mario Draghi

ECB unveils landmark stimulus

The European Central Bank has announced a massive stimulus program to shore up the eurozone economy.
January 22, 2015
Darth Vader

Darth Vader looms over Davos

Have central banks lost the power to calm the markets? That's up for debate, says DW's Andreas Becker in Davos.
January 21, 2015
The euro symbol in front of the European Central Bank

The ECB's moment of truth

Markets are expecting the European Central Bank to unleash a wave of economic stimulus, to be announced Thursday.
January 21, 2015
European Court of Justice building in Luxembourg (Photo: Thomas Frey/dpa)

Court rules on bond-buying

A European Court of Justice lawyer says the European Central Bank's bond-buying is legal.
January 14, 2015
European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany (Photo: DANIEL ROLAND/AFP/Getty Images)

ECB bond-buying is legal

Europe's top court has confirmed the legality of bond-buying by the European Central Bank.
January 14, 2015
Brazil stock exchange in Sao Paulo

Global equity markets rally

Global markets have posted some much-needed gains after being slammed by a severe drop in the price
January 8, 2015
A woman carrying a bag in the colors of the German flag

German inflation sinks to five-year low

The rate of increase in consumer prices in Germany has fallen to its lowest level in more than five years as the price of oil remains stubbornly low. Price trends are hovering dangerously near deflation.
January 5, 2015
EZB Mario Draghi PK in Frankfurt 04.07.2013

On the wrong path

Mario Draghi has become the most powerful man in Europe, says DW's Zhang Danhong.
January 2, 2015
Mario Draghi im Europaparlament 22.09.2014

Draghi warns of unstable prices, demands reforms

Price stability in the eurozone is more at risk than six months ago, according to ECB President Mario Draghi in an interview with the business daily Handelsblatt. He urges member states to speed up reforms.
January 2, 2015
Ergebnisse von Bankentests in Europa werden veröffentlicht

ECB vice president sees negative eurozone inflation

A senior official with the European Central Bank has said that he expects the inflation rate in the eurozone to turn negative next year. However, he also said he didn't expect this to develop into a long-term problem.
December 20, 2014
Mario Draghi

ECB waits on eurozone stimulus

The European Central Bank has "intensified its preparations" for combating deflation.
December 4, 2014
Blockupy Demonstration EZB Frankfurt 22.11.2014

Anti-capitalism protesters storm EU bank

Activists of the "Blockupy" movement have clashed with the police in Frankfurt. The demonstration was organized to protest the inauguration of the European Central Bank's new office.
November 22, 2014
500 Euro Schein

Could the ECB give 500-euro handouts?

The ECB should give 500 euros to everyone in the Eurozone, says economist John Muellbauer.
November 21, 2014
Euro sign in front of ECB headquarters

ECB braces for further stimulus measures

The European Central Bank has decided to keep interest rates steady following its policy meeting.
November 6, 2014
Bildergalerie Neubau der EZB

ECB moves to new domicile

ECB moves to new domicile
October 31, 201410 images
Mario Draghi

Praying won't help

Only 13 of the 130 banks subjected to the European Central Bank's stress test have capital shortfalls on their books. This is too good to be true, says DW's Rolf Wenkel.
October 26, 2014
The European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany

Twenty-five banks fail stress test

Twenty-five European banks have failed an in-depth review of their balance sheets but most have already taken remedial action. Italian, Cypriot and Greek banks were found to have the biggest shortfalls.
October 26, 2014
Mario Draghi

ECB fails 25 banks: media

A confidential draft of the European Central Bank's stress test of eurozone banks has reportedly shown that 25 financial institutions failed the review.
October 24, 2014
The European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany

ECB stresses out major banks

The ECB will announce the results of its banking stress tests soon as markets get nervous.
October 22, 2014
BaFin Präsidentin Elke König 05.06.2012

ECB banks stress test

The European Central Bank (ECB) will announce the results of its latest stress test on October 26. German banking regulator president Elke König tells DW that banking oversight should ideally be separate from the ECB.
October 21, 2014
The European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany

ECB buys covered bonds

The European Central Bank has begun part of a stimulus program to stimulate the eurozone's economy.
October 20, 2014
Euro currency symbol

ECB a bad bank

The ECB is resorting to more unconventional policy measures, but they may come at a price.
October 2, 2014
Burning banknote

Record forgery bust in Italy

Italian police have arrested a man possessing 340,000 counterfeit 50-euro banknotes. The bills exceed the total counterfeit banknotes withdrawn from circulation by the European Central Bank during the first half of 2014.
September 24, 2014
Jens Weidmann, President of Germany's Bundesbank

'Reached its limits'

Talking to DW, German Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann assesses the ECB's latest move.
September 15, 2014
Zehn Euro Schein

German inflation still low

Germany's inflation rate remains mired at dangerously low levels, with the threat of deflation looming large. The possibility of ECB action to stimulate the eurozone economy seems increasingly likely.
August 28, 2014
EZB frankfurt nacht main

ECB deflation survey

A European Central Bank survey has found that financial experts remain calm in the face of ever lower inflation in the eurozone. They believe prices will soon go up again and that worries about deflation are unfounded.
August 14, 2014
Deutschland Steuereinnahmen Banknoten

Euro number-2 global currency

The euro's share in global foreign exchange reserves fell slightly in 2013, but it remains the number-two reserve currency after the US dollar, according to a European Central Bank report.
July 16, 2014
Symbolbild EZB Europäische Zentralbank Frankfurt am Main

ECB interest rate until 2016?

The ECB’s base interest rate of 0.15 percent could stay in place until 2016, an ECB board member has told German public radio. The measure is meant to hinder prices and wages from falling while the eurozone recovers.
June 29, 2014
The ECB headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany

Euro rates cut to record lows

The ECB has ventured into uncharted territory cutting all three of its key interest rates.
June 5, 2014
ECB building in Frankfurt

ECB supervision costs

The ECB is going to be burning through money when it begins keeping tabs on of thousands of eurozone banks in November. Most of the cost is to pay for regulators to keep the banks from getting in trouble… again.
May 27, 2014
Antonis Samaras

Troika agreement

Greece has received the next installment of its bailout - in exchange for major reforms.
March 19, 2014
EZB-Turm Frankfurt

Bond-buying referred to ECJ

Germany's Constitutional Court has dodged a decision on the European Central Bank's bond-buying program used to shore up debt-laden EU economies. The judges passed the ruling on to the European Court of Justice.
February 7, 2014

ECB leaves rates unchanged

The European Central Bank (ECB) has left its key interest rate at a historic low despite concerns about deflation and a weak recovery in the eurozone. Bank officials, however, weigh options for further monetary action.
January 9, 2014
European Central Bank under construction

Supervisors sought

By November 2014, the ECB will be in charge of EU bank supervision. Now it needs staff.
December 9, 2013

ECB holds rates steady

The European Central Bank has left its key interest rate at a historic low, pausing to assess the impact of its recent rate cut on the eurozone economy. But more monetary action might be needed to spur growth in 2014.
December 5, 2013

The ECB's risky game

The ECB fends off deflation, but it should focus on a different threat, says DW's Rolf Wenkel.
November 7, 2013
A man burns signs with the word "Troika" during an anti-austerity and anti-governmental protest in Ljubljana October 29, 2013. REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic (SLOVENIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST BUSINESS)

Troika tensions

Plagued with power struggles and in-fighting, the strained trio faces trouble.
November 6, 2013
Torn EU flag Foto: Frank Schumann (Andere Flagge entfernt)

Euro crisis comeback?

New aid for Greece and problems facing other countries - is this return of the euro crisis?
September 17, 2013
Droht eine Neuauflage der Bankenkrise? ARCHIV - Dunkle Regenwolken hängen über der Skyline von Frankfurt am Main am 01.02.2008. Die Aktienkurse der Banken rauschen in den Keller. Die Angst geht um vor der nächsten Bankenkrise - nur drei Jahre nach der Lehman-Pleite. Damals liehen sich die Institute untereinander kein Geld mehr, Banken mussten mit Milliarden gerettet werden, die Weltwirtschaft stürzte in eine Rezession. Foto: Frank May dpa (zu dpa-Hintergund "Droht eine Neuauflage der Bankenkrise?" vom 30.08.2011) +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++ Thema "Das Gespenst der Bankenkrise geht um"

EU banking union

The EU is still at loggerheads about who should foot the bill for an EU banking union.
September 15, 2013
The Euro sign is seen outside the ECB headquarter in Frankfurt on September 20, 2012. ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/GettyImages

Central supervision for EU banks

The European parliament has voted in favor of centralized oversight for Europe's largest banks. The supervisory authority is to begin operations late next year.
September 12, 2013
Men in suits, among them one female manager

More female ECB managers

The European Central Bank, the guardian of the euro currency, has said it intends to increase the percentage of female middle management employees. So far, the bank has been dominated by male leadership.
August 29, 2013