Powell Says US Economy in Strong Shape, Fed Can Avert Recession

Reuters

ECB weighs whether to put number on bond-fighting scheme, sources say

European Central Bank policymakers are weighing up whether or not they should announce the size and duration of their upcoming bond-buying scheme, designed to curb financing costs for Italy and other debt-laden countries, sources told Reuters. The ECB is set to announce the new tool on July 21, along with its first interest rate hike in more than a decade, in response to a surge in bond yields that has hit the most indebted countries hardest. ECB staff is preparing different options for policymakers, including how many of its details, such as firepower and duration, should be made public, according to conversations with half a dozen policymakers at the ECB’s annual forum in Sintra, Portugal.