The European Central Bank's decision to raise its base rates by 25 points has drawn a lot of criticism. It justified it by the persistence of an inflation level above 3% in the euro zone, well above the 2% threshold that it has set itself as a target, in accordance with its status. But this inflation comes in a context of economic stagnation and not at a time when excess demand in Europe is at the origin of price increases.

A debate of the same intensity exists on the other side of the Atlantic, but in a completely different ...

Continue reading

Since the liberalization of trade and the internationalization of financial markets, central banks have become major players in the choice and implementation of economic policy. They have different missions and statuses depending on the country or continent. Of all, it is the European Central Bank (ECB) that has the greatest freedom of action, thanks to its independence enshrined in its founding treaty and the definition of its mission in its statute, to reduce and maintain inflation in the euro zone to a level below but close to 2%. It can then act to support growth and employment.

The US Federal ...

Continue reading

The publication of the IFO business index in Germany for February, which is significantly lower than expected (84.4, the lowest level since the low point of the COVID period) after 86.3 in January, reflects the current difficulties of the German economy. But the essential question is whether these are the consequences of the current international instability and will therefore fade away in the future or a structural change affecting a country whose economic model has long been the benchmark in Europe.

Paul Valéry, in his study published in 1898 (A Methodical Conquest) described it as follows: "To ...

Continue reading