European Central Bank Governing Council member Pierre Wunsch said another interest-rate increase is likely, while leaving its timing open. Belgium’s central bank governor told Bloomberg Television on October 14 that policymakers were “probably going to have to hike again,” according to Econostream’s account.
Wunsch declined to rule out an October increase but expressed no preference between October and December. He cited uncertainty surrounding energy prices and artificial intelligence, and said additional economic data would inform the decision. His remarks therefore signal an expectation of further tightening without committing to the next meeting.
The ECB’s next policy meeting runs from October 28 to 29, with the decision and press conference on October 29, according to its calendar. Its September 10 rate increase lifted the deposit rate by 25 basis points to 2.50%, effective September 16.
Inflation remains above the ECB’s 2% target. As we previously reported, Eurostat’s September flash estimate put annual eurozone inflation at 3.8%, up from 3.2% in August, with energy prices the fastest-rising major component. The complete September figures are scheduled for October 16.
Wunsch also said higher long-term borrowing costs had tightened financial conditions and would form part of the October discussion. The ECB’s stated approach remains data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting, without a pre-committed rate path. The Governing Council will weigh inflation, incoming data and policy transmission before making its collective decision.
