Tag Archives: 2) Swiss and European Macro

Tensions between Rome and Brussels could lead to significant market volatility before an agreement is found. September will be a key month for gauging the Italian government’s budgetary plans for 2019. The government has communicated neither a precise timeline for implementing the measures announced in its ‘contract for government’ nor a precise cost analysis for these measures. In this contract, the governing...

In August 2018, the KOF Economic Barometer fell slightly by 1.4 points to a new reading of 100.3. It thus now pints to a level that is only marginally above its long-term average. Accordingly, in the near future Swiss growth should hover around its average over the last ten years. In August 2018, the KOF Economic Barometer fell from 101.7 in the previous month (revised up from 101.1) by 1.4 points to a...

Neuchâtel, 28 August 2018 (FSO) – In the 2nd quarter 2018, total employment (number of jobs) rose by 2.1% in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier (+0.4% with previous quarter). In full-time equivalents, employment in the same period rose by 2.0%. The Swiss economy counted 14 000 more vacancies than in the corresponding quarter of the previous year (+22.6%) and the employment outlook indicator is also...

We see little evidence of a rebound in business taking shape, reinforcing our revised 2018 GDP growth forecast. Although euro area flash PMI indices were roughly in line with expectations in August, some details were less positive than the headline numbers, suggesting that downside risks have not yet disappeared. True, at face value, the small rise in the euro area composite PMI index, from 54.3 in July to 54.4 in...

We do not like Purchasing Power or Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) as measurement for currencies. For us, the trade balance decides if a currency is overvalued. Only the trade balance can express productivity gains, while the REER assumes constant productivity in comparison to trade partners. Who has read Michael Pettis, knows that a rising trade surplus may also be caused by a higher savings rate while the trade...

The euro has hit new lows against the US dollar. We are revising down our EUR/USD projections for the next few months. The euro broke to the downside from its tight trading range relative to the US dollar since the end of May. These new lows go against our expectations of a gradual appreciation of the single currency relative to the greenback in the second half of the year and indicate that we have underestimated the...

London house prices fall at the fastest annual rate since height of the financial crisis London house prices fall in 5th month in row, worst falls since 2009 London rents dropped at the fastest rate in eight years – ONS Brexit, London property slump put brake on UK house price growth Consumer spending declined in July as inflation increased UK house price growth slowed in June to the lowest annual rate in five years...

Neuchâtel, 16.08.2018 (FSO) – The number of employed persons in Switzerland rose by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter 2018 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. The unemployment rate as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) rose during the same period by 0.2 percentage points to 4.6%. The EU’s unemployment rate based on the ILO definition decreased from 7.6% to 6.9%. These are some of the results...

The Producer Price Index (PPI) or officially named “Producer and Import Price Index” describes the changes in prices for producers and importers. For us it is interesting because it is used in the formula for the Real Effective Exchange Rate. When producers and importers profit on lower price changes when compared to other countries, then the Swiss Franc reduces its overvaluation. The Swiss PPI values of -6% in 2015...

Unemployment Rate (not seasonally adjusted) Registered unemployment in July 2018 – According to SECO surveys, at the end of July 2018, 106,052 unemployed people were enrolled in the Regional Employment Centers (RAV), 527 less than in the previous month. The unemployment rate remained at 2.4% in the month under review. Compared to the same month of the previous year, unemployment fell by 27,874 (-20.8%). Switzerland...