American stock index futures maintained a downward trend, with S&P 500 E-MINI futures down 0.3%, Nasdaq futures down 0.6% and Dow Jones futures down 0.1%.The European Central Bank predicts that inflation will decline in 2025, and the European Central Bank currently predicts that inflation will cool down slightly faster than predicted in September. The bank's latest forecast shows that the average inflation rate in 2024 and 2025 is 2.4% and 2.1% respectively, while the previous forecast is 2.5% and 2.2% respectively. After cutting interest rates by 25 basis points, the European Central Bank said in a statement: "The anti-inflation process is on the right track." The bank said: "Domestic inflation has declined slightly, but it is still at a high level, mainly because wages and prices in some industries are still adapting to the past inflation surge, but there is a great delay." The European Central Bank maintains its inflation forecast of 1.9% in 2026, and predicts that the average inflation rate in 2027 will be 2.1%.The yield of German 2-year government bonds fell by 3 basis points to 1.92%, the lowest since December 3.
Iraqi security forces destroyed eight extremist strongholds in northern Iraq. On December 12, local time, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command issued a statement saying that Iraqi security forces are continuing to track and crack down on members of the extremist organization "Islamic State" in the country. Recently, in the hamlin Mountains in Kirkuk province, Iraqi security forces destroyed eight extremist strongholds, including personnel hiding places and weapons storage facilities. (CCTV News)European Central Bank President Lagarde: The inflation problem has not yet been completed. European Central Bank President Lagarde said that the inflation problem has not yet been completed and the anti-inflation task has not yet ended, but inflation is moving towards the goal.Central Economic Work Conference: Keep the RMB exchange rate basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level. The Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from December 11th to 12th. The meeting proposed to implement a moderately loose monetary policy. Give full play to the dual functions of the total amount and structure of monetary policy tools, reduce the RRR and interest rates in a timely manner, maintain sufficient liquidity, and match the scale of social financing and the growth of money supply with the expected goals of economic growth and overall price level. Keep the RMB exchange rate basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level. Explore and expand the macro-prudential and financial stability functions of the central bank, innovate financial instruments, and maintain the stability of the financial market.
European Central Bank President Lagarde: The proposal to cut interest rates by 25 basis points has been agreed by everyone. European Central Bank President Lagarde said that the proposal to cut interest rates by 25 basis points has been agreed by everyone, and inflation is expected to reach 2% in the medium term. There are some discussions about cutting interest rates by 50 basis points, but it is generally believed that a 25 basis point cut is the right move. The wage level will reach a level consistent with the inflation target of 2%.Eurozone government bond yields barely changed, and eurozone government bond yields barely changed, after the European Central Bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points, as widely expected. Michael Brown of Pepperstone said in a report: "The interest rate cut was accompanied by a policy statement, which' copied and pasted' the policy guidance issued after the October meeting." The ECB reiterated that it would "follow the method of data dependence and successive meetings to determine the appropriate monetary policy stance." According to Tradeweb's data, after the interest rate was determined, the yield of two-year German government bonds was 1.941%, slightly lower than the previous 1.951%, while the yield of 10-year German government bonds was 2.130%, which was almost unchanged that day.German 2-year bond yields rose by 1 basis point to 1.96%.