Tag Archives: Featured

Bern, 02.05.2018 – Although Swiss consumer sentiment has not shown any further improvement, it remains far above average this April, with the index coming in at 2 points. After a sharp rise in January, consumers’ expectations regarding economic growth have returned to the level seen in late 2017. Consumers remain optimistic about the labour market trend. About their purchasing power they are more circumspect than they...

This week, ch-direct, an association of public transport providers that sets ticket prices, announced there would be no ticket price rises in 2019. Instead the prices of some tickets will fall slightly on 1 June 2018. © Sergiomonti | Dreamstime.com - Click to enlarge The price small cuts on standard fares in June relate to the shift from 8.0% to 7.7% VAT at the beginning of the year. Inflation this year is forecast at...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.03% to 1.1944 CHF. EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, May 02(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates There is a brief respite in the powerful short squeeze that has fueled the dollar’s dramatic recovery. The greenback which was nearly friendless a month ago now has many suitors. It is higher on the year against all the major currencies but...

Pictet Wealth Management’s latest positioning across asset classes and investment themes. Asset Allocation While macroeconomic and corporate fundamentals still favour risk assets, challenges have been steadily increasing and a lot of good news is already priced into valuations. We sold part of our equity overweight during the early March rally. Even though we have become more prudent about equities’ short-term...

– London house prices fell by 3.2% in the first quarter – Halifax – Brexit, financial and geo-political uncertainty lead to falls– Excluding sale of seven £10m-plus houses in London, prices were down 3.4% in the year– UK house prices climb by just 0.4% in April, the slowest increase since 2008 for same period– Sales transactions fall by 19% and asking versus selling prices show turning into buyers’ market– Homeowner or...

Over the past 10 days, the euro has declined significantly against the US dollar. On 26 April, the EUR/USD rate moved below the low of its 1.21501.2550 trading range, which had been in place since 18 January. Reasons for this decline can be found in the growth differential and monetary policy divergence. Indeed, moderation in leading indicators (from elevated levels) in the euro area and a cautious ECB (given muted...

French rail unions have called a series of on-off strikes to the end of June to protest the government's reform plans. (Keystone) - Click to enlarge Rail services between Switzerland and France are limited on Saturday, owing to a strike by French workers against railway reforms. Most high-speed train (TGV) services have been cancelled, with the exception of six return journeys between Paris and Zurich (2),...

Most of the world’s financial centers are closed for the May Day holiday, but the lack of participation has not prevented the extension of the US dollar’s recovery.  The Dollar Index has traded above its 200-day moving average for the first time in a year.  No new catalyst has emerged.  The widening interest rate differential in the dollar’s favor over Germany, for example, is unprecedented.  Just like Fed officials can...

Thomas Hoenig was President of the Federal Reserve’s Kansas City branch for two decades. He left that post in 2011 to become Vice Chairman of the FDIC. Before that, Mr. Hoenig as a voting member of the FOMC in 2010 cast the lone dissenting vote in each of the eight policy meetings that year (meaning he was against QE2, too). This makes him, apparently, the hawk of all hawks. In January 2011, in his capacity as still...

See the introduction and the video for the terms gold basis, co-basis, backwardation and contango. Unfulfilled Prophecies The price of gold fell $12 last week, but that of silver dropped 63 cents. What’s up with silver?! A prominent analyst wrote on April 19 of the “breakout” in silver. Of course, without the benefit of the basis and the Monetary Metals fundamental price, he could only see the price chart, plus the...