ECB Could Raise Rates as Early as in About a Year, Holzmann Says

The headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, on March 12, 2016. Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

VIENNA—The European Central Bank could raise rates as soon as the end of next year, and calling an end to bond purchases would be a strong signal that the move is coming in the next two quarters, Governing Council member Robert Holzmann said on Wednesday.

The ECB last week took another step in rolling back crisis-era stimulus, saying it would end emergency bond purchases in March but temporarily double the pace of its longer-running Asset Purchase Programme (APP) to ease the transition.