SNB & CHF

Le Matin. The unemployment rate across Switzerland climbed by 0.2% to 3.7% in January, and regional differences were clear. Across French and Italian-speaking cantons the rate averaged 5%, while across the German-speaking cantons it was 3.1%. © Beat Bieler | Dreamstime.com - Click to enlarge The unemployment rate climbed across Switzerland’s French-speaking cantons with Neuchâtel remaining the worst affected. There the...

Le Matin. The unemployment rate across Switzerland climbed by 0.2% to 3.7% in January, and regional differences were clear. Across French and Italian-speaking cantons the rate averaged 5%, while across the German-speaking cantons it was 3.1%. © Beat Bieler | Dreamstime.com - Click to enlarge The unemployment rate climbed across Switzerland’s French-speaking cantons with Neuchâtel remaining the worst affected. There the...

Economic Reports Scorecard The economic data since my last update has improved somewhat. It isn’t across the board and it isn’t huge but it must be acknowledged. As usual though there are positives and negatives, just with a slight emphasis on positive right now. Interestingly, the bond market has not responded to these slightly more positive readings with nominal and real yields almost exactly where they were in the...

Real average weekly earnings for the private sector fell 0.6% year-over-year in January. It was the first contraction since December 2013 and the sharpest since October 2012. The reason for it is very simple; nominal wages remain stubbornly stagnant but now a rising CPI subtracts even more from them. Consumers receive no significant boost to their incomes, but are starting to pay more (in comparative terms) for things...

Meet Céline Marti : the police officer from Geneva who is representing Haïti in the world ski championship in St Moritz. (RTS/swissinfo.ch) She snagged 61st place out of 74 in the qualifications for the giant slalom on Monday. Marti, who gave her impressive performance after just three full months of intensive training, proudly wore the colours of Haïti – her country of origin – to compete against some of the world’s best skiers. It’s the very first world championship for the 37-year-old,...

Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, February 15(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge GBP/CHF The pound to Swiss Franc exchange rate remains in a volatile position susceptible to risks of deterioration from outside global events. The Franc being a safe haven currency leaves it at the mercy of some international events which can cause a flight to safety as investors use the Franc’s stability and...

Up until the 1980s tens of thousands of people in Switzerland, like the homeless and prostitutes, were locked away for 'reeducation', without appearing before a court. That's according to the interim report of a commission of experts. (SRF/swissinfo.ch) --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit...

One in three marriages in Switzerland is binational, according to federal statistics. Swiss public television asked couples from two different cultures about their lives together, the unexpected surprises and the challenges. (SRF/swissinfo.ch) --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or...

For 2016 international merchandise trade statistics point out China has net imported roughly 1,300 tonnes of gold, down 17 % from 2015. The importance of measuring gold imports into the Chinese domestic gold market – which are prohibited from being exported – is to come to the best understanding on the division of above ground reserves in and outside the Chinese domestic market.  Kindly be advised to have read my...

 See the introduction and the video for the terms gold basis, co-basis, backwardation and contango. Silver Is Pushed Up Again This week, the prices of the metals moved up on Monday. Then the gold price went sideways for the rest of the week, but the silver price jumped on Friday. Is this the rocket ship to $50? Will Trump’s stimulus plan push up the price of silver? Or just push silver speculators to push up the price,...