European Stocks Called Lower After Wall Street Declines; ECB Meeting in Focus

European stocks are expected to open lower Thursday following three consecutive session declines on Wall Street as investors await a key policy meeting from the European Central Bank. European stocks are expected to open lower Thursday following three consecutive session declines on Wall Street as investors await a key policy meeting from the European Central Bank .

European Central Bank head Draghi says stimulus still needed

The head of the European Central Bank says that its monetary stimulus efforts are still very much needed despite the recent spike in inflation in the 19 countries that use the euro currency. Mario Draghi told members of the European Parliament ‘s economic and monetary affairs committee Monday that the uptick in annual inflation to 1.8 percent was mainly due to higher oil prices, not to fundamental price pressures in the economy from rising wages.

Draghi’s Role in Elite Finance Group Comes Under EU Scrutiny

The European Union ombudsman has opened an inquiry into European Central Bank President Mario Draghi’s involvement with an elite group of economic leaders. The investigation will consider Draghi’s membership of the Group of 30, a forum of finance executives, academics and policy makers including Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, Warburg Pincus LLC President Tim Geithner, Credit Suisse Group AG Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam, and former ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet.

European And U.S. Bond Yields Remain Higher After ECB Rate Decision

Yields on U.S. Treasury bonds and European sovereign bonds remained higher on Thursday after the European Central Bank left its benchmark interest rate and bond-buying program unchanged. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose 1.5 basis point to 2.444%, while the yield on the 10-year German bund, considered the European benchmark, rose 3.3 basis points to 0.389%.

European Stocks Called Higher; ECB Rate Meeting in Focus

European stocks are set for modest gains at the open of trading Thursday amid a rebound overnight for the dollar and ahead of a European Central Bank rate decision. European stocks are set for modest gains at the open of trading Thursday amid a rebound overnight for the U.S. dollar and ahead of the first rate-setting meeting of the year for the European Central Bank.

Monte Dei Paschi Needs $9.2 Billion to Avert Potential Shortfall

Troubled Italian lender Monte dei Paschi says a potential capital shortfall identified by the European Central Bank has widened to 8.8 billion . Troubled Italian lender Monte dei Paschi remains solvent, a requirement for a government bailout under European Union rules, but its potential capital shortfall has widened to a 8.8 billion .