Negative-interest-rate policies ((NIRP)) have been criticized by some (me included) and pursued by others, including Europeans aligned with former European Central Bank ((ECB)) president Mario Draghi. However, growing numbers of Europeans are becoming disenchanted with NIRP, and some are now shifting away from it. In our view, negative rates have, predictably, damaged growth for over five years. The ECB's new president, Christine Lagarde, seems to understand that she faces a daunting task in extricating ECB policy from reliance upon negative rates.
Here is an excerpt from her first speech:
In my view, since our challenges