SNB & CHF

  A Flawless Flock of Scoundrels One of the fringe benefits of living in a country that’s in dire need of a political, financial, and cultural reset, is the twisted amusement that comes with bearing witness to its unraveling.  Day by day we’re greeted with escalating madness.  Indeed, the great fiasco must be taken lightly, so as not to be demoralized by its enormity. Symphony grotesque in Washington [PT] - Click to...

USD/CHF EUR/CHF Euro / Swiss Franc FX Cross Rate, November 06(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge USD/JPY [embedded content]>> USD/JPY with Technical Indicators, November 06(see more posts on USD/JPY, ) - Click to enlarge EUR/USD [embedded content] EUR/USD with Technical Indicators, November 06(see more posts on EUR/USD, ) - Click to enlarge GBP/USD...

Politicians, business directors and companies in Switzerland are among those connected to the so-called Paradise Papers, a massive trove of leaked offshore investment documents. There is currently no evidence of any legal wrongdoing. One of the most interesting names for the Swiss authorities is convicted criminal Jean-Claude Bastos, the Swiss-Angolan founder and CEO of Quantum Global Group, an international investment...

Today, gold is increasingly viewed by German investors as a regular form of saving: 25% of those surveyed in 2016 said their gold purchase had been part of a regular review of their investments, while 23% said it was part of their retirement planning. We should all learn some German If we are to believe Western media then this year’s decision by various central banks to start unwinding easy monetary policy is a signal...

Neuchâtel, 6.11.2017 (FSO) – The consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.1% in October 2017 compared with the previous month, reaching 100.9 points (December 2015=100). Inflation was 0.7% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Switzerland Consumer Price Index (CPI) YoY, Oct 2017(see more posts on Switzerland Consumer Price Index, )...

Summary: Quiet week ahead. RBA and RBNZ policy meetings; no change is expected. US tax reform and the newest Fed governor, Quarles speaks. Q3 data renders September data too old to matter much. United Kingdom The week ahead does not have nearly the event risk of last week. It is difficult to compete with a BOE rate hike that spurred the largest sterling decline in five months, the nomination of a new Fed...

Stock Markets EM FX ended the week under pressure. News of the Venezuela debt restructuring was digested well, but sentiment went south as the day wore on.  Weakness was concentrated in the weakest links TRY, BRL, RUB, and ZAR, while MXN and COP were dragged along for the ride.  We see EM selling pressures persisting into 2018. Stock Markets Emerging Markets, November 04 Source: economist.com - Click to enlarge...

- Click to enlarge In London on business and had the opportunity to go to Bloomberg. In this clip, Francine Lacqua discuss the likely nomination of Fed Governor Powell to succeed Yellen at the helm of the Federal Reserve. I make three points. First, that, like others, I recognize a strong element of continuity between Bernanke, who was first appointed by a Republican, Yellen, and now, presumably Powell. Obama...

– Bank of England raised interest rates for the first time in ten years – President Trump announces Jerome Powell as his choice to lead the U.S. Federal Reserve – Most investors outside the US Dollar and Euro see gold prices climb after busy week of central bank news – Inflation now at five-year high of 3% – Inflation, low-interest rate, debt crises and bail-ins still threaten savers and pensioners Gold Price in...

The risk budget this month shifts slightly as we add cash to the portfolio. For the moderate risk investor the allocation to bonds is unchanged at 50%, risk assets are reduced to 45% and cash is raised to 5%. The changes this month are modest and may prove temporary but I felt a move to reduce risk was prudent given signs of exuberance – rational, irrational or otherwise. Moderate Allocation - Click to enlarge   No...