ECB’s Makhlouf Says Inflation Stable as Bank Enters Wait-and-See Phase

European Central Bank Governing Council member Gabriel Makhlouf said on Tuesday that inflation in the euro area has “stabilised,” while economic growth is unfolding broadly as the central bank expected. Makhlouf indicated that the ECB has now entered a “wait-and-see” phase in its policy-easing cycle, following the decision at last week’s meeting to leave the Deposit Facility Rate unchanged at 2 percent. He added that policymakers will assess incoming data before considering further action. The Irish governor also cautioned that there is not yet enough information to evaluate the economic impact of a newly announced US-EU trade accord, underscoring continued uncertainty around external demand and global policy developments.