European Central Bank set to end QE this year - Reuters poll

The latest Reuters poll of economists showed that a majority of them see the European Central Bank (ECB) ending its asset purchases programme by the end of this year, shrugging off concerns over the inflation outlook.

Key Findings (via Reuters):

“The latest Reuters poll of over 80 economists, taken May 16-23, showed inflation is not expected to reach the ECB’s target until at least 2021. Nor is growth, currently in retreat, forecast to re-accelerate significantly either.

About 45 percent of 37 economists who answered an extra question said the ECB was not actually in control of eurozone inflation and while the other respondents said it was, their actual forecasts did not reflect the same confidence.

Nearly 70 percent of over 40 economists said the recent economic slowdown was just a pause.

The Reuters poll puts growth at an average 0.4-0.6 percent each quarter through to the end of next year, similar to polls since January.           

The inflation outlook, too, has barely changed from previous polls. The consensus was for inflation to average 1.5 percent this year, 1.6 percent next and 1.7 percent in 2020.“