Flash Note 04/10/2016 Alex Fusté @AlexfusteAlex [email protected] Tapering from the ECB? The end of QE? Apparently, some ECB officials (that asked not to be identified) have pointed that there is an informal consensus that asset purchase program will have to be tapered once a decision is taken to end the program. Well. This is like saying "when I decide to abstain from alcohol I will stop drinking". The same officials that hinted the idea of “tapering” also confirmed that “they didn’t exclude that QE could still be extended past the current end-date of March 2017 at the full pace of 80 billion euros” and added that “the Governing Council has not discussed these topics”. Well. The only thing I know for certain is what Draghi repeatedly said: “QE will run, in any case, until the Governing Council sees a sustained adjustment in the path of inflation”. And the ECB has predicted inflation will run at 1.6% in 2018 (well below its goal of 2%). You decide. I certainly do not know what will happen with the ECB’s QE. I have largely defended that stopping this highly disruptive expansionary policy is needed to preserve the healthiness of the global markets. But for those regular readers, you will appreciate that today for me it is difficult to envisage this possibility. We will see. Kind regards Alex Fusté Chief Economist Andbank Este documento ha sido realizado por Andbank, principalmente para su distribución interna e inversores profesionales. Este documento no debe ser considerado como consejo de inversión ni una recomendación de compra de ningún activo, producto o estrategia. Las referencias a cualquier emisor o título, no pretenden ser ninguna recomendación de compra o venta de dichos títulos.