"Our action has been efficient... (and) markets have understood what we want to do and how we want to preserve favourable financing conditions," she said.

Lagarde's comments are among the clearest indications yet that the ECB is content with the recent retreat in inflation-adjusted yields and echoes statements from several Governing Council members this week who argued that current financing conditions are appropriate.

(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Leslie Adler)