Second Covid Wave in Europe
The second wave of the Coronavirus is currently raging in Europe. 
The attached image shows the number of newly infected people in European countries on a linear scale. In particular in the Czech republic, but also in Switzerland, France or Spain, one can see a tendency towards exponential growth.

New cases in Europe – Click to enlarge

Multiplier between Newly Infected and Newly  Recovered
Many people quickly recover after having contracted Coronavirus, they are not infectious any more after about 10 days. Therefore one must compare the number of newly infected people with the number of recovered people. This gives a delta.

Unfortunately some countries like the UK or Spain do not publish the number of newly recovered.
The

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?

15.10.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index rose in September 2020 by 0.1% compared with the previous month, reaching 98.0 points

Current Account

Key figures:
Current Account: Down 52.14% against Q2/2019 to 9.878 bn. CHF
of which Goods Trade Balance: Minus 13.55% against Q2/2019 to 15.193 bn.
of which the Services Balance: Minus 39.69% to 1.158 bn.
of which Investment Income: Minus 70.07% to 3.012 bn. CHF.

Current Account Switzerland Q2 2020(see more posts on Switzerland Balance of Payments, Switzerland Capital Account, Switzerland Current Account, Switzerland Financial Account, ) Source: snb.ch – Click to enlarge
In the second quarter of 2020, the current account surplus amounted to CHF 10 billion; in the same quarter of 2019 it was CHF 21 billion. This decline was principally due to lower receipts from direct investment abroad. While the goods trade balance and the services trade

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?
15.09.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index fell in August 2020 by 0.4% compared with the previous month, reaching 97.9 points

Current Account

Key figures:
Current Account: Down 13.72% against Q1/2019 to 17.4 bn. CHF
of which Goods Trade Balance: Plus 8.05% against Q1/2019 to 17.4 bn.
of which the Services Balance: Minus 53.84% to 3.02 bn.
of which Investment Income: Minus 0.54% to 6.3 bn. CHF.

Current Account Switzerland Q1 2020(see more posts on Switzerland Balance of Payments, Switzerland Capital Account, Switzerland Current Account, Switzerland Financial Account, ) Source: snb.ch – Click to enlarge
In the first quarter of 2020, the current account surplus amounted to CHF 17 billion, CHF 3 billion less than in the same quarter of 2019. This decline was principally due to trade in services, particularly licence fees, telecommunications, computer and information services, and

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?
15.06.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index fell in May 2020 by 0.5% compared with the previous month, reaching 97.6 points

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?

14.05.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index fell in April 2020 by 1.3% compared with the previous month, reaching 98.1 points

Ticker
Name
Div Yld
Holdings
Expense Ratio
Beta
1Y Return
5Y Return
Mrk
Cap
USRT
iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF
4.2%

0.08%
–
-15.30%
9.39%
1.71B
IFEU
iShares Europe Developed Real Estate ETF

0.48%
–
-15.57%
-6.99%

REZ
iShares Residential Real Estate ETF

0.48%
–
-13.27%
17.37%

DRV
Direxion Daily MSCI Real Estate Bear 3x Shares

1.10%
–
-38.88%
-81.74%

RWR
SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF

0.25%
0.86
-18.84%
1.08%

RORE
Hartford Multifactor REIT ETF

0.45%
–
-22.28%
–

NURE
Nuveen Short-Term REIT ETF

0.35%
–
-19.43%
–

SRET
Global X SuperDividend REIT ETF

0.58%
–
-48.17%
-28.29%

* Assets in thousands of U.S. Dollars. Assets and Average Volume as of 2020-05-11 16:20:04 -0400
source

Symbol

ETF Name

Asset Class

Total Assets*

The increasing volatility of SNB Earnings
Annual results are not really definite. Given that the SNB accumulates foreign currencies with interventions, they have huge swings.
But the SNB may lose 50 billion in one year and win 60 billion in the next year or vice verse.

Franc will rise again with crisis or inflation
With a new financial crisis or a with a big rise of inflation, the run into the Swiss franc will start again.
Deflationary period (e.g. Corona Crisis)
During deflationary periods and recessions, the SNB will strongly intervene, similarly as she did in 2008/2009.
During the Corona Crisis, the SNB intervened at 1.05 – 1.06 for a euro, in 2009 even for 1.50 These high intervention levels pave the way for later losses, which are the inflationary periods.

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?
16.04.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index fell in March 2020 by 0.3% compared with the previous month, reaching 99.4 points

Key developments in 2019
The current account surplus for 2019 was CHF 86 billion, CHF 29 billion more than the previous year. This increase was principally due to growth in primary income (labour and investment income). In the year under review, receipts exceeded expenses by CHF 14 billion, whereas in the two previous years, expenses had significantly exceeded receipts. The main contributors to this development had been finance and holding companies, which had reported exceptionally high expenses for direct investment earnings in the two previous years. These expenses were significantly lower in the year under review. The receipts surplus in goods trade increased by CHF 7 billion to CHF 66 billion, chiefly due to higher goods exports according to the foreign trade

Exponential Growth and Corona
The more mathematically versed folks under us have understood that it the slope (or steepness / derivation) of the Corona expansion curve is important.
The following statistics is based on the Worldometer data, that rather shows the “first dimension”; we however, focus on the “second dimension”, the slope of the curve.
This is far more useful, because for such exponential curve, the slope is key.The video explains the details.

[embedded content]

Exponential Growth
It took the Corona Virus 20 days to grow from 100 to 1000
and 13 days to grow to 1000 to 10000.
Attention here: The Y axis has a logarithmic scale.

Formulae Exponential Curve
ΔNd  is the number of new cases per day.
Basic Reproduction Number
E is the number of

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

Historically the first two months of a new global virus have been a good opportunity to buy stocks.
Markets behave a bit like in a small recession. But recessions is the moment when stock investors make money.
Long-Term Profits Decide
One should still remember that even if short-term profits decline,only the expected long-term profits finally decide about share prices.
And there the virus does not have an influence.
Virus Symptoms and Symptoms of Declining short-term Profits

via Mark Decambre, Market Watch

However, gauged by the market’s performance during the onset of other infectious diseases, including SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola and avian flu, Wall Street investors may have little to fear that the pathogen will sicken a U.S. stock

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?
14.02.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index remained unchanged in January 2020 compared with the previous month. The index stood at

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?
17.01.2020 – The Producer and Import Price Index rose in December 2019 by 0.1% compared with the previous month, reaching 100.7 points

Current Account
In summary: Nearly any change against the third quarter of 2018. About the same figures. But clearly and – as usual – a massive surplus.

Key figures:
Current Account: Up 39.15% against Q3/2018 to 18.09 bn. CHF
of which Goods Trade Balance: Plus 49.78% against Q3/2018 to 16.76 bn.
of which the Services Balance: Minus 12.94% to 5.25 bn.
of which Investment Income: Plus 25.74% to 5.08 bn. CHF.

Current Account Switzerland Q3 2019(see more posts on Switzerland Balance of Payments, Switzerland Capital Account, Switzerland Current Account, Switzerland Financial Account, ) – Click to enlarge

Financial account
The following is from the official press release and gives more details on the other parts of the financial account.

Net acquisition of

Current Account
In summary: Nearly any change against the third quarter of 2018. About the same figures. But clearly and – as usual – a massive surplus.

Key figures:
Current Account: Up 39.15% against Q3/2018 to 18.09 bn. CHF
of which Goods Trade Balance: Plus 49.78% against Q3/2018 to 16.76 bn.
of which the Services Balance: Minus 12.94% to 5.25 bn.
of which Investment Income: Plus 25.74% to 5.08 bn. CHF.

Current Account Switzerland Q3 2019(see more posts on Switzerland Balance of Payments, Switzerland Capital Account, Switzerland Current Account, Switzerland Financial Account, ) Source: snb.ch – Click to enlarge

Financial account
The following is from the official press release and gives more details on the other parts of the financial account.

Net

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?
12.12.2019 – The Producer and Import Price Index fell in November 2019 by 0.4% compared with the previous month, reaching 100.5 points

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015 (see below), compared to -3% in Europe or -1% in the U.S., diminished the overvaluation. In 2017, however, producer prices are rising again – in both Europe and Switzerland. See more in Is the Swiss Franc overvalued?

14.11.2019 – The Producer and Import Price Index fell in October 2019 by 0.2% compared with the previous month, reaching 100.9 points

Area
Index
Price orPerformance index
Type
Funds
ISIN
Methode
Ausschüttungsart
Spread Okt 19
KGV
KBV
 Titelzahl Fonds
Tielzahl Benchmark
Vola
5J
Agio
TER
Disagio
Bemerkung

Small Caps

MSCI EM SM
GDTR
Smart Beta: Small
SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap
UCITS ETF
IE00B48X4842
Optimized Sampling
Thesaurierend
0,50%
12,33
1,24
1472

17,1%
0%
0,55%
0%
China 11%

Europa
MSCI Europe Small Cap Value Weighted Index
NDTR
Smart Beta: Small, Value Weighted
SPDR® MSCI Europe Small Cap Value Weighted
UCITS ETF
IE00BSPLC298
Optimized Sampling
Thesaurierend

11,76
1,09
723
939
12,33%
0%
0,30%
0%

WisdomTreeJapanSmallCapDividendIndex

Smart Beta: Small, Dividend
WisdomTreeJapan SmallCap Dividend UCITS ETF –

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners.
Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade partners decided to spend more. This is partially true. Recently Europeans started to increase their savings rate, while Americans reduced it. This has led to a rising trade and current surplus for the Europeans. But also to a massive Swiss trade surplus with the United States, that lifted Switzerland on the U.S. currency manipulation watch list.
To