Inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro accelerated to 2.2% from 2.1% a month earlier, hovering near the ECB's 2% goal for most of this year, as falling energy prices offset still robust domestic price pressures, particularly in services.
The figures confirm the ECB's own view that inflation is largely defeated and policymakers now have ample time to watch price developments unfold before contemplating any further action.
This is why markets see almost no chance of a cut in the ECB's 2% deposit rate at the bank's last meeting for the year on December 18 and see only a one-in-four chance of any easing next year.
Well, it was once said *when Fed sneezes, ECB cuts rates regardless but now this clearly has turned into *Hawks vs. doves...
After years of nearly aligned rate policies, the recent rate-cutting cycles of the United States and European Union (EU) central banks have recently not been in lockstep.
There is no reason for a collision but ECB wants to put pressure on Trump, perhaps to show him that they are united. Sorry but economics these days is largely decided by politics.