ECB's Knot: ECB can end bond buys sooner if upside inflation surprises continue

European Central Bank governing council member and Dutch central bank head Klaas Knot said on Thursday that the bank could end its bond-buying programmes sooner if inflation continues to surprise on the upside. Knot added that it is now appropriate for the bank to prepare for gradual monetary policy normalisation and that the ECB is close to "mission accomplished" on inflation.