欧央行官员内部分歧：欧元兑美元若突破1.20或成分水岭 汇率波动牵动货币政策走向

Group 1 - The European Central Bank (ECB) Vice President Luis de Guindos expressed concerns about the euro's exchange rate, stating that a rise above 1.20 against the dollar could complicate monetary policy, while the current range of 1.17 to 1.20 is manageable [1] - The euro has appreciated by 13.8% against the dollar this year, reaching a high of 1.1755 on June 30, primarily due to concerns over U.S. tariff policies and a crisis of confidence in dollar assets [1] - ECB President Christine Lagarde previously described the euro's strong performance as "counterintuitive but reasonable," indicating that the exchange rate is just one of many factors in policy considerations [1] Group 2 - Within the Eurozone, there are differing views on the exchange rate; Latvian central bank Governor Martins Kazaks warned that rapid euro appreciation could create dual deflationary pressures by lowering import costs and weakening export competitiveness [4] - Lithuanian central bank Governor Gediminas Šimkus also cautioned against the speed of unilateral appreciation, which could disrupt inflation control targets, despite the current exchange rate not breaching historical ranges [4] - In contrast, German central bank Governor Joachim Nagel expressed confidence in the current euro exchange rate, viewing it as close to long-term averages and emphasizing that the management board is more focused on overall inflation dynamics rather than a single exchange rate indicator [4] Group 3 - The ECB has broken its silence on exchange rate discussions, which is rare, especially after initiating a monetary easing cycle in June 2024 and lowering benchmark rates eight times since then [4] - The central challenge for the ECB is balancing inflation reduction with economic growth amid expectations of further rate cuts in September [4] - De Guindos highlighted the need to be vigilant about trade protectionism and geopolitical risks that could impact price stability, particularly the potential lagging effects of U.S. tariff policies on the European economy [4][5] Group 4 - As the July 9 deadline for tariff exemptions approaches, uncertainty remains in U.S.-EU trade negotiations, with the ECB predicting inflation could stabilize at the 2% target by 2027, but short-term risks are skewed to the downside [5] - The volatility of the euro exchange rate is not only a focal point for financial markets but also serves as an important indicator for the ECB's policy direction [5] - De Guindos emphasized that exchange rate issues should be viewed within a broader economic fundamentals framework, highlighting the importance of monitoring all factors affecting inflation [5]