$希腊国家银行(NBG)$ EUROPE MARKETS
European stocks gain as ECB puts full-blown QE on deck
By Carla Mozee
Published: Nov 26, 2014 5:36 a.m. ET

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Bloomberg News/Landov
A euro sign in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany.
LONDON (MarketWatch) — European stocks rose Wednesday, after a top official said the European Central Bank could start full-blown quantitative easing early next year, the comments coming as the eurozone struggles with low inflation and sluggish growth.

At a conference in London, ECB Vice President Vitor Constancio said the bank is prepared to buy government bonds early next year if it decides there is a need to ramp up stimulus measures.


“We have, of course, to closely monitor if the pace of its evolution is in line with that expectation. In particular, during the first quarter of next year we will be able to gauge better if that is the case,” he said.

Separately, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled a five-year, €315 billion private-public investment plan. The plan aims to encourage economic growth by funding infrastructure projects throughout the European Union.

“Europe needs a kick-start, and today the Commission is providing the jump leads,” Juncker told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, media reports said.