SNB & CHF

The second most frustrating aspect of trying to analyze global shadow money is how the term “shadow” really applies in this case. It’s not really because banks are being sneaky, desperately maintaining their cover for any number of illicit activities they are regularly accused of undertaking. The money stays in the shadows for the simple reason central bankers don’t know their jobs; even after a somehow Global Financial Crisis in 2008, they don’t realize the full...

The US-China diplomatic relationship may be entering a new stage. The balance of power between the key players – Trump, China, the US Congress, and the Democrats – is changing and their roles are being reshuffled. This might be enough to break the endless cycle of agreements and re-escalations. In short, we think both Trump and Chinese officials have a greater incentive to reach a deal (or at least not to escalate) this time around. Meanwhile, the rising antagonist...

Few investors and market observers were really surprised when Mario Draghi announced the ECB’s next massive easing package in mid-September. Cutting rates further into negative territory and the revival of QE were largely expected sooner or later, as the “whatever it takes” outgoing ECB President is now faced with a wide economic slowdown in the Eurozone. After all, over the last decade, the ECB has proved to be a “one-trick pony”, with negative rates and bond-buying...

The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Zweig famously referred to gold as a “Pet Rock” in 2015. He was blasted by people who understand that gold is no passing fad, and it serves some very important roles in an investment portfolio. The valuable roles played by gold have been well covered here. It’s a hedge against both inflation and deflation, it represents true diversification for portfolios stuffed with conventional securities, and it is a way of protecting wealth...

A currency crisis is not a linear event. Everything seems okay, until one moment, abruptly, things aren't okay. What does a currency crisis mean for the US dollar, and, more importantly, what does it mean for Main Street? Keith sat down with Half Dollar on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019 for a robust discussion on a variety of gold, silver, US dollar, debt, interest and money related topics. Some of the topics discussed include: - What is Keith’s current assessment of the gold &...

A currency crisis is not a linear event. Everything seems okay, until one moment, abruptly, things aren't okay. What does a currency crisis mean for the US dollar, and, more importantly, what does it mean for Main Street? Keith sat down with Half Dollar on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019 for a robust discussion on a variety of gold, silver, US dollar, debt, interest and money related topics. Some of the topics discussed include: - What is Keith’s current assessment of the gold & silver...

Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.09% to 1.0999 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, October 22(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: Bismark is said to have warned that laws were like sausages, and to respect them, one ought not to see how they are made. The UK had a non-binding referendum more than three years ago, and although it won by 52%-48% and the party leaders committed to adhering to the results, it still...

Today, the Swiss National Bank is opening the SNB Forum on the ground floor of its premises at Fraumünsterstrasse 8 in Zurich. This has been created as part of the mult i-yearrenovation of this building, and is open to the public. The SNB Forum’s content is aimed at an interested expert audience – visitors will be able to find out all about the National Bank at the site. In addition, the Forum will function as an issue and return point for literature from the SNB...

The company’s CO2 emissions in 2018 was 1,585,000 tons. (© Keystone / Laurent Gillieron) The Swiss-based agricultural firm has set aside $2 billion (around CHF1.97 billion) over five years to reduce emissions from agricultural practices. The company, which has come under fire for profiting from selling hazardous pesticides abroad, also announced on Tuesday that it will be reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030. “These aren’t just words, this is real action that...

USD/CHF seesaws around late-Friday tops. 100-HMA, Friday’s high will restrict the latest pullback. September month low can please sellers during the declines. Failure to extend the latest recovery seems to portray the USD/CHF pair’s weakness as it trades around 0.9870 amid pre-European session on Tuesday. The pair trades below 100-Hour Simple Moving Average (HMA) and Friday’s high, around 0.9900, which holds the key to pair’s further recovery towards a 200-HMA level...