German minister: further interest rate cuts are too slow

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 10/02/24 08:06 AM EDT

BERLIN, Oct 2 (Reuters) - German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Wednesday he believed further interest rate cuts were coming too slowly after the European Central Bank reduced rates in June and September.

Speaking at an event hosted by the BGA trade association, Habeck also said Germany had got through three quarters of the economic crisis caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke Writing by Madeline Chambers; editing by Matthias Williams)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

fir_news_article