ECB minutes show most members consider QE only available option to fight deflation

Minutes from the European Central Bank's January policy meeting issued Thursday indicated that most members of the Governing Council consider introducing a quantitative easing program to repulse deflation and boost economic activity as the only available option. 

A large number of council members were in favor of buying government debt, as minutes show. The minutes showed that one member urged to consider buying corporate bonds if more QE was needed.

In the meantime, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.1%, France's CAC 40 advanced 0.3%, while Germany's DAX shed 0.1%, while London’s FTSE 100 dipped 0.1%.

As of currencies, EUR/USD was trading at 1.1361 from around 1.1367 ahead of the release of the data, while EUR/GBP was at 0.7364 from 0.7366 earlier.