Tag Archives: Featured

Andréa M. Maechler, Member of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank News conference of the Swiss National Bank, Berne, 15.06.2017 Complete text: PDF (478 KB) I will begin by reviewing the situation on the international financial markets. I will then address some developments on the Swiss money and foreign exchange markets – specifically the establishment of SARON as the leading reference rate for interest rate...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.21% to 1.0869 CHF. EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, June 15(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge FX Rates The US dollar gains scored yesterday in response to what appeared to be a more hawkish FOMC than expected have been extended today.  The euro and the Swiss franc have recorded new lows for the month. In some ways, a do-nothing MPC meeting may be overshadowed by the...

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...

Les législatives françaises qui se sont tenues le 11 juin 2017 apportent la preuve que nous sommes bel et bien entrés dans une ère post-démocratique. Près de 52% ont refusé de se prêter au processus électoral. Pourtant ce silence crie des émotions et des opinions non relayés sur la place publique. Parler de démocratie signifie la mettre en pratique! En théorie,  « La démocratie est le régime politique dans lequel le...

Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.37% to 1.0901 CHF. This is a typical movement ahead of the SNB meeting tomorrow. This movement is probably unrelated to the Fed rate hike, given that the USD/JPY has fallen. It makes sense to go long CHF against JPY, if you bet on an inactive SNB. Inactive SNB would mean that the central bank will not speak about stronger FX Interventions or about lower rates. EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss...

The cost of owning a holiday home in the Swiss Alps has declined appreciably in many towns and villages in the last five years. The biggest falls in property prices have been observed in the last 12 months, according to UBS bank researchers. Prices have dipped anywhere from 3% to 9 % year-on-year in some of the best-known Swiss tourist destinations, such as St Moritz and Verbier. This contrasts drastically with...

In Gold we Trust Report: Bull Market Will Continue The 11th edition of the annual “In Gold we Trust” is another must read synopsis of the fundamentals of the gold market, replete with excellent charts by our friend Ronald-Peter Stoeferle and his colleague Mark Valek of Incrementum AG. Gold Bull Market - Click to enlarge Key topics and takeaways of the report: – “Sell economic ignorance, buy gold …” – Many signals...

Andy Hall has been called the God of Oil. As chief of Astenbeck Capital, he has proven at times that even gods can be mortal. In the “rising dollar” period, for example, after making money on the way down Mr. Hall went bullish. That was March 2015: We suspect their projection of current prices into the future will again be frustrated by the market. For that reason we have closed out all of our bearish bets (at a...

Printing Money We have noticed that lately, numerous attempts have been made to explain the mechanics of quantitative easing.  They range from the truly funny as in this by now ‘viral’ You Tube video with two robotic teddy-bears discussing the Fed chairman’s qualifications (‘my plumber has a beard too’), to outright obfuscation such as the propagation of this ‘Bernanke explains he’s not printing money, it’s just an...

After a tumultous week in the world of politics, with non-stop Trump drama in the US, a disastrous for Theresa May general election in the UK, and pro-establishment results in France and Italy, this is shaping up as another busy week ahead with multiple CB meetings, a full data calendar and even another important Eurogroup meeting for Greece. Wednesday’s FOMC will be the main event, with the Fed expected to hike 25bp...