SNB & CHF

 ECB press conference June 2 2016 Held in Vienna with Governor Nowotny Keep key ECB interest rates unchanged Will be kept at present or lower for an extended period of time, exceeding asset purchase program (80bn per month) which will end March 2017 sector program will start June 8 TLTRO start in June New measures will strengthen growth in euro area through credit expansion Very low inflation must not become entrenched in second round effects through effects on wages and prices. ECB...

Already a trend in German-speaking Switzerland, food delivery by bike courier is becoming a trend also in the French-speaking part of the country. (RTS, 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 subscribe to our YouTube channel: Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch...

The traditional Swiss cheese called “Tête de Moine” has been produced in the Jura region for 800 years. It now has its own festival. (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 subscribe to our YouTube channel: Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch Channel:...

Many foreigners who work here in summer can claim unemployment benefit back home in the winter, and the Swiss pick up the bill. (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 subscribe to our YouTube channel: Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch Channel:...

The US dollar remains under pressure.  It is off for the third day against the yen and slipped below JPY109 for the first time in a little more than two weeks.  The Nikkei struggled to cope with the foreign exchange developments, lost 2.3%, the most in a month, after gapping lower.  At JPY108.50, the dollar would have given back 50% of its rally off the May 3 low near JPY105.50.   Below there, the JPY107.80 is the 61.8% retracement.   The euro is north of $1.12 after having briefly...

Switzerland has the highest proportion of cremations in Europe, and they have tripled over the past thirty years. (RTS/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 subscribe to our YouTube channel: Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch Channel:...

01.06.2016 09:15  – FSO, Economic Surveys (0353-1605-70) The Used Goods Question Retail sales in several countries like Germany, Italy, Japan and Switzerland continue to fall. In the United States they have strongly risen recently. We should remind readers, that used goods sold via Ebay or similar, are not contained in this statistics. Still they create economic value for the purchases. By mentality, Swiss, Germans or Japanese pay more attention so that used goods do not lose their value...

Bern, 01.06.2016 – Switzerland’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.1% in the 1st quarter of 2016.* GDP was underpinned by consumption expenditure from private households and investments in construction and equipment but curbed slightly by government consumption. On the production side, the picture was mixed: whilst financial services and the hotel and catering industry saw a decline, value added in manufacturing, construction and the healthcare sector increased. In comparison...

Felix Zulauf Photo credit: Sigi Tischler / Keystone Government Intervention is Making Things Worse Claudio Grass, the CEO of Global Gold, has recently interviewed legendary Swiss fund manager Felix Zulauf. A wide range of topics was discussed, including monetary policy, the market outlook, investment decisions and precious metals. About Felix Zulauf: Felix Zulauf started out as a trader for Swiss Bank. He joined Union Bank of Switzerland in 1977, ultimately becoming the head of the...

OPEC ministers meet in Vienna tomorrow. Expectations could hardly be lower.  Attempts to agree on an output freeze were stymied by the Saudi’s insistence that is rival Iran participates as well.  Iran cannot agree to limit its production yet, or it would have sacrificed (or postponed) it nuclear program for nought.   Many observers have announced the death of OPEC. The Saudi’s refusal in 2014 to continue to act as the swing producer, coupled with the rise of non-OPEC production,...