Mario Draghi

As Bitcoin closes in on a $100 billion market cap, world governments and banks are taking note, but Mario Draghi, chief of the European Central Bank (ECB), thinks cryptocurrencies are not mature enough to be considered as yet.

The ECB president was reportedly speaking at a press conference, where he said:

 Easy monetary policy gives euro zone governments a window of opportunity to enact the reforms needed to boost growth once interest rates have to rise, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Wednesday, quoted by Reuters.

The International Monetary Fund has retreated from its demand for an asset quality review (AQR) of Greek banks, according to statements made on Thursday in London by the head of the IMF's European Department, Poul Thomsen. The Washington-based Fund insists, however, that a medium-term strategy is needed to tackle the issue of bad loans.

While underscoring its independence, the European Central Bank suggested on Monday it was still flexible enough to accommodate the repeated demand by the International Monetary Fund for a fresh review of the state of the local credit sector, as it emerged Greek banks will undergo their stress tests earlier than their European Union peers are put through theirs next year.

Greek stocks took a tumble on Monday on the heels of the German election result and ahead of statements by ECB governor Mario Draghi about bringing forward a stress test for local banks.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 742.49 points, shedding 4.06 percent from Friday's 773.94 points. The large-cap FTSE-26 index contracted 4.35 percent to end at 1,956.85 points.

Europe needs to tackle high youth unemployment to safeguard democracy, public trust and growth, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said in Dublin Friday.

Europe needs to tackle high youth unemployment to safeguard democracy, public trust and growth, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said in Dublin on Friday.

Inflation in the eurozone will slump in early 2018, the European Central Bank forecast on Sept. 18, but return to an upward path towards its target later in the year.

Price growth could fall as low as 0.9 percent in the first quarter, the ECB said in its regular economic bulletin, far short of governors' target of just below 2.0 percent.

The European Central Bank believes its long-term support to the eurozone economy will overcome the strong euro's braking effect on inflation, board member Benoit Coeure said on Sept. 11.

The euro on Sept. 8 reached the highest level against the dollar since the start of 2015 as traders bet on the European Central Bank winding in its huge stimulus program.

Comments by ECB president Mario Draghi sent the euro surging on Sept. 8 to $1.2092, the highest point since January 2015.