SNB & CHF

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Speculative activity remained light in the latest CFTC reporting period ending August 30. There were no gross position adjustments that we recognize as significant; 10k contracts or more. There were only three gross adjustments by speculators of more than 4k contracts. With the higher EUR/CHF FX rate and weaker U.S. jobs date, speculators went long CHF by 8.2K contracts.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Underlying concerns about US labor market ease after two robust reports. Sept Fed views will not change much. Canada’s data is disappointing, BOC optimism may be challenged.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Swiss Market Index, along with other European markets, is trading slightly higher this week after financials rallied on merger and acquisition rumors and hopes for improved growth. European banks, the industry group battered the most so far this year, lead gains after it emerged that Deutsche Bank AG and Commerzbank AG executives held talks about a potential merger in early August this year.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Banks in Switzerland reduced their domestic workforce by 4.1 percent in the first half as companies combined and made cost cuts to stem declining profitability, a survey by the nation’s main bank association showed.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Low Rates Forever, Nothing much is happening in the money world. The press reports that traders are hanging loose, wondering what dumb thing the Fed will do next. Rumor has it that it may decide to raise rates in September, or maybe November… or maybe not at all.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]On Tuesday, I noted the end of summer and the entrance into one of the weakest months of the year statistically speaking. “We can confirm BofAML’s point by looking at the analysis of each month of September going back to 1960 as shown in the chart below."

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The US dollar is little changed ahead of the job report. Our near-term bias is for a lower dollar. Sterling is flat and is holding on to about a 1% gain this week. The Japanese yen is about a 0.3% lower and is off 1.7% this week. The euro was coming into today for the week.

ABSTRACT: http://financialrepressionauthority.com/2016/09/01/charles-hugh-smith-the-fly-in-the-ointment-stagnant-wages-hidden-inflation/

Questions are being raised about canton Zug’s practice of granting a special residency permit to a wealthy Russian, who has rarely been seen at his Swiss property. Swiss cantons define their own rules for granting these kinds of permits to wealthy foreigners. Attracting the rich is one way cantonal authorities have of improving their balance sheet. They decide the minimum taxable income and wealth an individual must have in order to qualify, and also require the person in question to make...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]This press release presents the results for a Swiss National Bank (SNB) survey on turnover in foreign exchange and derivatives markets. The request for data was sent to 30 banks that operate in Switzerland and have a sizeable share in the foreign exchange and over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets. These banks reported the turnover of their domestic offices.