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ECB Insight: Schnabel Moves From No Rush to Don’t Wait Too Long

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – Although her remarks on Thursday evening may have been taken hawkishly, European Central Bank Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel did not make the case that the ECB must raise rates in June, even if such an outcome seems likely from today’s perspective. Rather, while continuing to leave the ECB an escape hatch, she emphasized that waiting for wage growth to prove second-round effects could imply waiting too long.

8 May 2026 | Central Bank News

France: AFT Announced Up to €8.0 Billion in BTF Auctions for May 11

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Agence France Trésor (AFT) announced on Friday that it will auction between €6.4 billion and €8.0 billion of fixed-rate discount Treasury bills (BTFs) on May 11.

8 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

ECB Insight: Villeroy’s Farewell to Humility

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member François Villeroy de Galhau’s final monetary policy speech as Banque de France governor on Thursday was meant to be an exercise in humility. Hypocrisy won.

8 May 2026 | Central Bank News

Belgium: Federal Government Debt Rose to €565.8 Billion at End-April

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Belgium’s federal government debt rose by €3.24 billion in April from March to €565.817 billion at the end of the month, the Belgian Debt Agency (BDA) said on Friday.

8 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

ECB’s Lagarde Says Europe Should Not Copy US Stablecoin Model

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde on Friday said Europe should not respond to the spread of dollar stablecoins by simply promoting euro-denominated versions, warning that this could create financial stability risks and weaken monetary policy transmission.

8 May 2026 | Central Bank News

ECB’s Schnabel: Waiting for Wage Growth to Rise Before Hiking Risks Acting “Too Late”

By Marta Vilar – LONDON (Econostream) – European Central Bank Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel said on Thursday that the ECB should not wait for wage growth to accelerate before responding to the inflationary effects of the energy shock linked to the Middle East conflict, warning that doing so could mean reacting “too late.”

7 May 2026 | Central Bank News

ECB’s Schnabel: Will Need to Hike Rates if Energy Shock Broadens; Second-Round Effects on the Rise

By Marta Vilar – LONDON (Econostream) – European Central Bank Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel said on Thursday that the ECB could have to tighten monetary policy if the energy shock linked to the conflict in the Middle East spreads more broadly through the economy, as risks of second-round inflation effects have risen in recent weeks.

7 May 2026 | Central Bank News

ECB’s Villeroy: Speculation on Timing of Next Hike Looks Like “Disguised Forward Guidance”

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member François Villeroy de Galhau said on Thursday that speculation and statements about the timing of the ECB’s next interest rate hike seemed like “disguised forward guidance.”

7 May 2026 | Central Bank News

ECB’s Kocher: No June Pre-Commitment, But Rate Hikes Possible if Middle East Shock Persists

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Martin Kocher on Thursday said the ECB was not pre-committed to raising interest rates in June, but would have to consider rate hikes in the coming months if the Middle East situation failed to improve and energy prices remained elevated.

7 May 2026 | Central Bank News

Spain: Treasury Allotted €6.19 Billion Across Bonos, Obligaciones, Inflation-Linked Bonds at May 7 Auction

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – The Spanish Treasury allotted €6.189 billion on Thursday across four government bond lines, including nominal and inflation-linked securities.

7 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

France: AFT Allotted €13.50 Billion at May 7 OAT Auction

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Agence France Trésor (AFT) allotted €13.497 billion of long-term French government bonds (OATs) on Thursday across four maturities.

7 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

ECB’s Nagel: Expect a June Hike “if Outlook Does Not Improve Noticeably”

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Joachim Nagel said on Thursday that the ECB may raise interest rates in June unless the economic outlook improves significantly.

7 May 2026 | Central Bank News

ECB’s de Guindos: EU Needs Deeper Financial Integration to Support Growth, Competitiveness

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos on Thursday urged faster progress on European financial integration, saying the European Union needed deeper capital markets, a stronger banking union and simpler regulation to support growth and competitiveness.

7 May 2026 | Central Bank News

Transcript: Interview with Lithuanian State Treasury Director Rasa Kavolytè on 6 May 2026

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – Following is the full transcript of the interview conducted by Econostream on 6 May 2026 with Rasa Kavolytè, Director of State Treasury Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania.

6 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

Exclusive: Lithuania Treasury Director: Addl '26 Syndicated Issuance Could Range from 3 to 10 or More Years

6 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

Germany: Finanzagentur Allotted €2.66 Billion at May 6 Bund Auction

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – The German Finance Agency (Finanzagentur) allotted €2.662 billion of Federal bonds (Bunds) on Wednesday at a reopening auction of its 2.50% November 15, 2032 line.

6 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

France’s Macron Picks Moulin to Succeed Villeroy at Bank of France

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed former Élysée secretary-general Emmanuel Moulin as the next governor of the Bank of France, putting a close presidential ally in line to succeed European Central Bank Governing Council member François Villeroy de Galhau.

6 May 2026 | Central Bank News

Slovakia: Ministry of Finance Raises CHF700 Million in Triple-Tranche Swiss Franc Bond Sale on May 6

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – The Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic raised CHF700 million in a triple-tranche Swiss franc bond transaction on Wednesday, marking its second return to international capital markets this year and its largest-ever CHF-denominated sovereign offering, according to the Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL).

6 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

Netherlands: DSTA to Reopen July 2036 DSL on May 12

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – The Dutch State Treasury Agency (DSTA) said on Wednesday it would reopen its 2.75% Dutch State Loan (DSL) maturing July 15, 2036 via a tap auction on May 12.

6 May 2026 | Debt Issuance News

ECB’s Lane: Climate Shocks Require Case-by-Case Policy Response

By David Barwick – FRANKFURT (Econostream) – European Central Bank Chief Economist Philip Lane said Tuesday that climate change and the green transition increasingly mattered for monetary policy, but that the ECB could not apply a uniform response to climate-related shocks.

5 May 2026 | Central Bank News