ECB rate-setters may opt for 50bp hike in December

Policymakers at the European Central Bank may opt for a 50 basis point interest rate hike starting from December's policy meeting on 15 December.

Preliminary talks point to a lack of support at the moment for another 75bp hike, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg News.

Unless inflation surges again, then consensus may favour a smaller step, they reportedly said.

Increased recession risks, a possible softening in price pressures and the lack of stimulus that raising the ECB's deposit rate to 2.0% would entail were amongst the reasons cited for that line of thinking.

Another factor cited was the need to bargain regarding the possible start date for the ECB's balance sheet reduction.