SNB & CHF

Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.21% at 1.139 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, October 25(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates FX: The Dollar Index broke above 96.00 yesterday and is consolidating today. Provided the 96.00 area holds, the next target is the year’s high near 97.00. The euro has been confined to a little more than a quarter of a cent. Players seem...

The historically hot and dry summer and autumn weather is having a dramatic impact on water levels - such as of the Rhine Falls. The historically hot and dry summer and autumn weather is having a dramatic impact on the water levels of Swiss rivers and lakes, and natural landmarks such as the Rhine Falls. The glorious summer weather has attracted many visitors to the Rhine Falls waterfall near Schaffhausen in northeast Switzerland. Owing to the low level of the river, tourist boats can get...

Many demands for tax payments were not sent out (Keystone) The Federal Tax Administration’s IT project Insieme was a financial disaster and its replacement isn’t much better, according to the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO). Systems are unreliable and underperforming, with billions in tax demands still outstanding. The old application for direct federal tax, withholding tax and stamp duty was replaced in October 2017...

Weakness in the sector signals continuing downward trend. The euro area economy started the fourth quarter on a weak note; the flash composite PMI dipped to 52.7 in October from 54.1 in September. Both manufacturing and services showed a notable loss of momentum. A common feature in France and Germany was the weakness in manufacturing, where both countries posted similar declines. Part of the drop may reflect issues in...

Protectionism has cross-party support in the U.S., and nationalist parties continue to gain traction in Europe. Where there is inequality, there is a surge in protectionism; a risk that could trigger the next global economic crisis sometime around 2020. The Trump administration’s trade war and a hard Brexit could send tariffs to levels not seen in 15 years, according to UBS economist, as per Market Watch. The Swiss bank...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.31% at 1.1375 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, October 24(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The US dollar is firmer against the major currencies and most emerging market currencies. While the seemingly fragile equity markets are still the center of investors’ attention, the weakness of the eurozone flash PMI is disconcerting...

Economics Minister Schneider-Ammann (second from right) and his counterparts from Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein attended a panel discussion at the ETH Zurich on digitalisation. A campaign has been launched to promote digitalisation in small companies based in Swiss mountain regions. On Wednesday, the Federation of Adult Learningexternal link and Swiss Mountain Aidexternal link presented a project for companies with...

Stocks have stumbled into October with the S&P 500 down about 6% as I write this. The source of equity investors’ angst is always hard to pinpoint and this is no exception but this correction doesn’t seem to be due to concerns about economic growth. At least not directly. The most common explanation for the pullback in stocks – 6% doesn’t even qualify as a correction – is rising interest rates but I think it is a...

Europe is in an untenable position. It is being challenged on many fronts. A weaker euro need not result, but it is the path of least resistance. The economy has lost its momentum. What was first written off as a soft patch, now looks a bit more serious. This will be driven home by the flash PMI later this week, which is expected to fall to a two-year low. Draghi is likely to still put an optimistic spin on things, as...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.13% at 1.14 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, October 23(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: There is one main story today, and that is the resumption of the slide in equities. It is having a ripple effect through the capital markets. Bond yields are tumbling. Gold is firm. The dollar is narrowly mixed, though the yen stands out with almost a 0.5%...