The popular image of the German industrial machine politics is one which has Germany’s massive factories efficiently churning out goods for trade with the South of Europe (Club Med). Because of the common currency, numerous disparities starting with productivity differences had left the South highly indebted to the North just as the Global Financial Crisis would strike. The aftermath of that crisis, particularly the...
Read More »BNS, les taux vont encore être baissés
Je vous ai parlé de long en large de la BNS : ici : https://www.crottaz-finance.ch/blog/tag/bns/ De son bilan démesuré supérieur au PIB suisse De ne pas avoir vendu les euros achetés quand elle le pouvait D’avoir dû abandonner le taux plancher de 1.2 CHF pour 1 EUR sous la pression du marché (je l’avais prévu, mais la BNS a quand même tenu 3 ans et demi) Qu’avec les taux négatifs, les caisses de pensions (donc les...
Read More »Financial Media Elite Defensively Bash “Useless” Gold
Actually, Keynes’ “barbarous relic” remark was made not about gold itself but about the gold standard for currencies. Keynes wasn’t denying gold’s use as money. But that is the least of the problems with Wolf’s reply. Who cares about the prices of useless metals? “No significance in the modern world”? For starters, governments themselves care. That’s why central banks, against Wolf’s advice, continue to hold huge...
Read More »What Does It Mean That Real Estate, Not Equities, Is Driving Monetary Policy?
In the world of assets classes, I don’t believe it is equities which hold the Federal Reserve’s attention. After the 2006-11 debacle, the big bust, you can at least understand why policymakers might be more attuned to real estate no matter how the NYSE trades. It may be a decade ago, but that’s the one thing out of the Global Financial Crisis which was seared into the consciousness of everyone who lived through it....
Read More »FX Daily, July 24: Poor PMI Weighs on Euro Ahead of ECB
Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.17% at 1.0966 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, July 24(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: Disappointing flash PMI pushed an already offered euro lower ahead of tomorrow’s ECB meeting. European bonds rallied and equities, amid a rash of earnings, is trying to extend the advance for a fourth consecutive session. Italian and...
Read More »Pound to Swiss Franc exchange rates remain docile despite yesterday’s UK political developments
Movement for the Pound to Swiss Franc pair limited Pound to Swiss franc exchange rates have remained relatively rangebound this week, despite yesterday’s political developments inside the UK. Whilst the GBP/CHF pair is historically less volatile than GBP/EUR for an example, a range of only two cents movement over the past month is testament to the current market uncertainty. GBP has hit a high of 1.2457, whilst trading...
Read More »DM credit caught between opposing forces
Despite the impressive year-to-date performance of corporate credit, we remain prudent about prospects in the remainder of 2019. Corporate bonds have posted stellar total returns year to date, thanks to the positive combination of lower sovereign yields and tighter credit spreads. While high yield (HY) bonds have performed slightly better than investment grade (IG) ones on both sides of the Atlantic, the additional...
Read More »Switzerland has the Highest Underemployment Rate in Europe
Swiss women are particularly keen to work more. - Click to enlarge 2018, 7% of Switzerland’s workforce claimed they would like to work more. Women are the most affected. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) figures publsihed on Tuesday, Switzerland’s labour pool has 830,000 people. This includes 356,000 underemployed individuals, 231,000 unemployed and 243,000 people who are looking for work but not...
Read More »World growth forecast revised down
Signs of a potential global recession are appearing, such as a fall in fixed investment and industrial production and a build-up in unwanted inventories. We are revising down our world growth forecast. The effects of a negative shock dating back to early 2018 are still being propagated throughout the world economy. Sentiment was the first to be hit, but there have been increasing signs of a marked slowdown in hard data...
Read More »FX Daily, July 23: Debt Deal Help Lifts the Dollar
Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.32% at 1.097 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, July 23(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The gains in US equities and the apparent US budget agreement has underpinned equities today and the US dollar. Asia Pacific equities recouped yesterday’s losses, and Europe’s Dow Jones Stoxx is posting gains for the third consecutive...
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