The Euro and European bond yields tumbled this morning after Reuters reported 'sources' saying the ECB is wary of fresh policy change (i.e. the expected quasi-tightening) before the June meeting, because it is worried about bond yield spikes.
European Central Bank policymakers are wary of making any new change to their policy message in April after small tweaks this month upset investors and raised the specter of a surge in borrowing costs for the bloc's indebted periphery.
One ECB source said the bank has been overinterpreted by markets at its March 9 meeting.
Taken aback when markets started to price in an interest rate hike early next year, policymakers are keen to reassure investors that their easy-money policy is far from ending, suggesting reluctance change message before June, six sources in and close to the Governing Council indicated.
While the current level of bond yields remains acceptable, a further increase would be problematic, particularly in places like Italy, Spain and Portugal, where debt payments are a major cost item and rising yields would curb spending and thwart growth.
With the euro zone economy on its best run in almost a decade and conservative policymakers# keen to start winding down stimulus, the ECB gave a small nod to improvement with a tweak of its guidance in early March, axing a reference to being ready to act with all available instruments.
But that message did not come across as hoped.
"We wanted to communicate reduced tail risk but the market took it as a step to the exit," one of the sources said. "The message was way overinterpreted."
Not exactly reasuring.
And sure enough – bonds are bid…
and the Euro is offered…
But we thought Europe was doing so well? Record PMIs? Asset-gatherers exclaiming how 'cheap' it is and why investors should pile their money into Europe? It seems The ECB just realized its own omnipotent control is all that is holding the thin facade of Europe's Potemkin Village capital markets up after all.
via http://ift.tt/2nv0hwo Tyler Durden