Business · Economy · 8 hrs ago
Lagarde says ECB will assess possible rate rise in December
ECB President Christine Lagarde says a rate rise remains possible and the bank will assess the need in December.
At its latest meeting, policymakers discussed raising rates but chose to wait for more data.
The ECB will update its forecasts in December using new indicators to judge whether a rise is needed to meet its goal.
Inflation is 4% across the euro area and above 5% in Italy, with energy costs the main driver.
Energy prices are up 18% in the euro area and more than 20% in Italy, pushing up prices overall.
Lagarde said energy pressures may continue for a time, but conditions can change quickly.
The December review will help determine the ECB’s next move on rates.
Christine Lagarde said the European Central Bank will assess in December whether an interest-rate rise is needed.
At its latest monetary policy meeting, the ECB discussed raising rates but decided to wait for more data.
The bank will review its projections in December, when it expects to have more indicators to guide its decision.
Lagarde said euro-area inflation was 4%, driven mainly by energy prices, which had risen 18% year on year.
She said she brought forward her departure from the ECB presidency by nine months so she could speak more freely.
- Who
- Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank.
- What
- The ECB will assess in December whether an interest-rate rise is needed.
- When
- The assessment is planned for December. The article was published on November 5, 2026.
- Where
- Lagarde spoke to more than 600 students at Piazza Affari.
- Why
- The ECB wants to use new indicators and updated projections to determine whether a rate rise is needed to meet its goal.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The ECB discussed raising rates but decided to wait for more figures, data and information.
Lagarde told students the ECB would assess in December whether a rate rise was needed.
The ECB is due to review its projections and assess whether a rate rise is necessary.
- December review
- The ECB plans to review its projections and assess whether a rate rise is needed.
- Euro-area inflation
- 4%
- Euro-area energy prices
- Up 18% year on year
- Italian inflation
- Above 5%
- Lagarde's early departure
- Brought forward by nine months
- Standard ECB presidential term
- Eight years
What people are saying
We will review our projections in December, when we will have many indicators that will really help us determine whether a rise is necessary to achieve our objective.
At the last monetary policy meeting, we discussed whether to raise rates again, but we thought we were well positioned to wait and see what figures, data and information would come in.
In the current circumstances, in Europe and elsewhere, I want to be able to express with greater independence opinions I firmly believe in and take part in debates that do not concern monetary policy.