The strong pace of global growth is continuing despite recent weaker-than-expected data in the United States and China, European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said on Friday.
"We are far away from identifying a change in the global recovery. It has been very robust, very strong and very robust, and I do not think there is any indication that that will change soon," Issing told reporters after a conference on the ECB and its watchers organised by the Center for Financial Studies.
Issing had been asked whether a moderation in US payroll gains and signs of a sharp drop in lending in China were indications that the fast pace of global growth was slowing.
Issing said he had "nothing to add" to ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet's explanation at his news conference on Thursday on the ECB's current monetary policy stance.
Issing was asked whether the ECB has a "soft tightening bias" given that Trichet declined to repeat his recent phrase that "all options remain open," which analysts have taken to mean the ECB stands ready to either raise or lower rates.