SNB & CHF

Presenting the new version of the CHF1,000 note, March 2019. The amount of Swiss CHF1,000 notes that are hoarded rather than being used in the economy for payments could be as high as 87%, a study by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) has shown. The reportexternal link, “Demand for Swiss banknotes: some new evidence”, estimates the volume of Swiss banknotes being stashed – rather than spent or invested – over the period...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.06% at 1.1123 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, July 11(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: Fed’s Powell confirmed a Fed rate cut at the end of this month by warning that uncertainties since the June FOMC had “dimmed the outlook” and that muted price pressures may be more persistent. It ignited an equity and bond market rally...

The extradition bill is ‘dead’ but political turmoil is not over yet. Since early June, a series of large-scale demonstrations took place in Hong Kong in protest of proposed legislation that would allow extradition of criminal suspects to certain jurisdictions, including mainland China. The proposed bill was triggered by the case of a Hong Kong man who allegedly murdered his girlfriend in Taiwan but could not be sent...

Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.03% at 1.1135 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, July 10(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The US Treasury market is retreating for the fourth consecutive session ahead of Fed Chairman Powell’s testimony before Congress. It is the longest losing streak in six months, and the 10-year yield has risen 15 bp over the run.  This is...

Prospects of more ECB easing has contributed to an across-the-board rally in euro sovereign bonds yields and could help limit volatility in peripheral bonds. Since Mario Draghi in June signalled the European Central Bank’s (ECB) readiness to embark on more easing should the euro area economy fail to regain speed, euro sovereign bonds yields have fallen across the board, with the 10-year Bund yield briefly moving below...

You want to reduce CO2? Then trigger a global depression that reduces global consumption of everything by 50% and destroys 95% of the phantom wealth owned by the global elites trying to monetize the air. I recently asked What’s Left to Monetize?, and longtime correspondent Mark G. provided the answer: the air we breathe, via carbon taxes and markets for trading carbon credits, i.e. financializing / monetizing Nature to...

Are Switzerland’s millionaires going to have to put the bubbly on ice? After seven years of growth, both the number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world and their total wealth declined in 2018, according to the latest World Wealth Reportexternal link by consultants Capgemini. This trend was also seen in Switzerland. The total assets of HNWIs – defined by Capgemini as people with investable assets of at...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.13% at 1.1128 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, July 09(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: Global equity benchmarks are headed for their third consecutive loss today as caution prevails at the start of Q3 after a strong first half. Ten-year benchmark yields are edging higher after a soft start in Asia. Italian bonds continue to...

In June, the world PMI manufacturing index recorded its second consecutive month below 50, suggesting that global manufacturing is contracting. Global manufacturing sentiment deteriorated further in June. Markit Economics’ World purchasing managers’ index for manufacturing fell to 49.4 from 49.8 in May, the second month in a row it was below the 50 threshold, suggesting that global manufacturing activity is contracting....

We have been writing on the flaws in GDP: that it is no measure of the economy, because it looks only at cash and not the balance sheet, and that there are positive feedback loops. “OK, Mr. Smarty Pants,” you’re thinking (yes, we know you’re thinking this), “if GDP is not a good measure of the economy, then what is?!” The National Balance Sheet In the first part of this series, we introduce some concepts from...