Tag Archives: Featured

Ladies and gentlemen It is my pleasure to welcome you to the news conference of the Swiss National Bank. I would also like to welcome all those who are joining us today online. After our introductory remarks, the members of the Governing Board will take questions from journalists as usual. Monetary policy decision I will begin with our monetary policy decision. We have decided to tighten our monetary policy further and to raise the SNB policy rate by 0.5 percentage...

I am pleased to give you an assessment of current developments with regard to cash. Since June, after many years of strong growth, we have seen a significant decline in banknote circulation. To contextualise this decline of approximately 10%, let me first say a few words about the above-average growth in recent years. In the period since the 2008 financial crisis, the value of banknotes in circulation grew, on average, more than twice as fast as in the two...

In my remarks, I will talk in more detail about the implementation of today’s monetary policy decision, which Thomas Jordan has already touched on. I will start, however, by giving you an overview of how we have steered interest rates since the switch to a positive SNB policy rate in September. The switch from a negative to a positive SNB policy rate required us to make an adjustment to the implementation of our monetary policy in the money market. The new approach...

What’s unfettered in America is “Communism for the Rich” and the normalization of corruption that results from the auctioning of political power to protect monopolies and cartels. The irony of constantly being accused of being a communist is rather rich. When I point out that “free market capitalism” in America is neither a real market nor real capitalism, those who equate any criticism of “capitalism” as proof of communist leanings are triggered. Noting that Marx...

Swiss National Bank tightens monetary policy further and raises SNB policy rate to 1.0% The SNB is tightening its monetary policy further and is raising the SNB policy rate by 0.5 percentage points to 1.0%. In doing so, it is countering increased inflationary pressure and a further spread of inflation. It cannot be ruled out that additional rises in the SNB policy rate will be necessary to ensure price stability over the medium term. To provide appropriate monetary...

Keystone / Ennio Leanza Swiss cement giant Holcim said on Wednesday it would leave Russia, adding that the business there would then operate independently under a different brand. Holcim has signed an agreement to sell its Russian unit to the local management team, it said in a statement on Wednesday. The sale will have “no significant impact” on the world’s biggest cement maker, as the unit generated less than 1% of the group’s net sales in 2021, it said. Holcim...

Keith Weiner, Quinton Hennigh and Chen Lin return. Keith Weiner’s Monetary Metals encourages investors to lease or lend their gold or silver to Monetary Metals’ clients in exchange for interest payable in kind. At the same time, Keith makes a very strong case that the dollar will continue to get stronger relative to the Euro, Swiss franc, Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, British pound and Swedish krona. Generally, a strong dollar is viewed as bearish for gold. So why...

An excellent new book from Edward Chancellor, The Price of Time, sets out to explain both the theory and history of interest rates across five millennia and countless cultures. The theory is frequently bungled by economists; the history is frequently glossed over by historians. But thankfully Mr. Chancellor is up to the task. He is an excellent and engaging writer, owing presumably to his long career as a financial journalist. We need more books like this....

Der SMI fällt 0,40 Prozent auf 11’091,93 Punkte. Vor der am Abend erwarteten Zinsentscheidung der US-Notenbank haben die Anleger einen Gang zurückgeschaltet. Die Freude von Vortag, als die Nachricht über den nachlassenden Inflationsdruck in den USA die Märkte angetrieben hatte, sei wieder der Vorsicht gewichen, heisst es in Börsenkreisen. Daher bröckelten die Kurse ab. Nach dem Rückgang der Inflation dürfte das Fed den Leitzins wie erwartet wohl nur um 50 Basispunkte...

Overview: The softer than expected US CPI drove the dollar and interest rates lower, while igniting strong advances in equities, risk assets, commodities, and gold. Calmer market conditions are prevailing today, and we suspect that in the run-up to the FOMC meeting, a broadly consolidative tone will emerge. The dollar is mostly softer, but within yesterday’s ranges. Only the New Zealand and Canadian dollars among the G10 currencies are softer. Emerging market...