UPDATE 2-ECB's Paramo: bond purchases likely in June

Mon May 25, 2009 10:10pm BST
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* ECB to buy bonds within weeks after June meeting

* Will exit non-conventional measures as soon as possible

* Paramo sees no problem neutralising asset purchases

* Paramo sees gradual economic recovery in 2010 (Adds Gonzalez-Paramo comments)

By Andrew Hay

MADRID, May 25 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is likely to begin purchases of covered bonds within weeks after its early June meeting and hopes to exit non-conventional policies as soon as possible, Executive Board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo said on Monday.

He repeated that the ECB would buy about 60 billion euros ($83.97 billion) worth of covered bonds, but said details like what type of debt, maturities and ratings would be unveiled after the June 4 meeting.

"It's most likely to be weeks," Paramo said when asked how soon after that the ECB would start buying covered bonds. "As soon as it is technically possible, the institutions have to prepare themselves to bid. It's purely a question of technical implementation, technical preparation.

But Paramo said the goal of the ECB was to exit all non-conventional measures such as asset purchases as soon as possible.  Continued...

 
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