Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf didn’t rule out an increase in interest rates next month should data signal the need for such a step, though said it’s impossible to commit with uncertainty so high. The ECB governing council member told Bloomberg Television that he “can well understand” markets bets for two hikes this year — which is part of the ECB’s baseline. He stressed, though, that he and his colleagues will take a calm and careful approach to formulating any response.

Source: Irish Examiner March 20, 2026 10:32 UTC