To anticipate, I will conclude that - although areas of financial weakness are certainly present in the economy, as in every recession - the financial problems that currently exist do not seem sufficient to prevent an increasingly robust economic recovery during this year and next.
With regard to prices, if downside risks to the economy materialize and the rate of change in prices continues to be negative for a long period of time, firms' and households' medium- to long-term inflation expectations may decline. The Bank will continue to carefully examine developments as well as various downside risks. B.