Extending Quantitative Easing: Are there Additional Risks for Financial Stability?

Briefing 02-02-2017

Since March 2015, the ECB is engaged in an expanded asset purchase programme of private sector assets and sovereign bonds (so called quantitative easing or QE), which has been recently extended until December 2017, although at a slower pace. The aim of the programme is to ease monetary and financial conditions, making access to finance cheaper for firms and households. This tends to support investment and consumption and, ultimately, contributes to a return of inflation rates towards the ECB target.