The ECB’s balance sheet is now close to €8bn after adding €18.7bn last week to €7.926bn. It is equivalent to 75.5% of Eurozone GDP and almost quadruple the figures of early 2015.
Meanwhile, the European Central Bank warns that it will monitor excessive bank dividends. The monetary authority expects to announce to the European banking sector the end of the month that will lift the 15% limitations on dividend payouts. However, it will also ask banks to remain cautious in their payouts. The deputy governor of the BdE, Margarita Delgado, has assured that they have tools at their disposal in the event banks do not accept the supervisor’s recommendations. In addition, the ECB will assess the solvency of each bank individually and compare dividend payout plans between similar institutions.
Finally, the euro area’s members met yesterday to decide whether to go ahead with the creation of the digital euro. The next step would be an exploratory phase lasting at least two years which, if successful, could be in circulation from 2025.
