New home sales were down sharply again in January 2018. For the second straight month, the level of purchase activity fell substantially despite what are otherwise always described as robust or even booming economic conditions. Like the sales of existing homes, the sales of newly constructed units should be both moving upward as well as being significantly more than stuck at this low level. Construction and sale...
Read More »Employment barometer in the Q4 2017: Number of jobs rose by 0.8 percent YoY and 0.4 percent QoQ
Neuchâtel, 26 February 2018 (FSO) – In the 4th quarter 2017, total employment (number of jobs) rose by 0.8% 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 0.6%. The Swiss economy counted 9000 more vacancies than in the corresponding quarter of the previous year (+16.8%) and the employment outlook indicator is also...
Read More »FX Daily, February 26: Dollar Slides as Equities Extend Recovery
Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.14% to 1.1529 CHF. EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, February 26(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates The US dollar has begun the new week on heavy footing. It is being sold against virtually all the currencies, major and emerging market currencies. There is one exception, and although the local market is not open, the Mexican peso is...
Read More »Swiss hotel bookings on a high note
A good year for Swiss hotels, 2017 is when the Bürgenstock Resort (pictured) opened above Lake Lucerne. (© KEYSTONE / EQ IMAGES / Melanie Duchene) - Click to enlarge After several difficult years, the Swiss hotel industry is recovering. There were 37.4 million overnight stays in 2017 – 5.2% more than in the previous year and nearly as many as the record years of 1990 and 2008. The increase came from locals...
Read More »Update on the Modified Davis Method
Whipsawed Frank Roellinger has updated us with respect to the signals given by his Modified Ned Davis Method (MDM) in the course of the recent market correction. The MDM is a purely technical trading system designed for position-trading the Russell 2000 index, both long and short (for details and additional color see The Modified Davis Method and Reader Question on the Modified Ned Davis Method). The Nasdaq pillar…...
Read More »FX Daily, February 23: Dollar Firms; VIX Set to Close Lower for Second Week
Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.20% to 1.152 CHF. EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, February 23(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates A light economic schedule in North America may help the markets close the week on a quiet note. Perhaps if there is one number that captures this sense, it may be the VIX. It is soft and barring a new disruption today, it is poised to...
Read More »US supermarket giant Walmart now selling Swiss-made chocolate
The chocolate for Walmart is produced in Coop's new production centre near Basel, named "Schoggihüsli" (Swiss-German for "little chocolate house"). (Keystone) - Click to enlarge Swiss retailer Coop is producing bars for Walmart’s own-brand chocolate, the SonntagsZeitung reported on Sunday. The chocolate is produced in a newly established production centre near Basel and has been available in Walmart stores since...
Read More »Swiss Post Bus company invested heavily in France and lost millions
French bus company owners regard the payments from Switzerland to CarPostal as illegal government subsidies by the Swiss Post. (SRF-SWI) - Click to enlarge The Post has been operating its French subsidiary, CarPostal France at a huge financial loss, reported Swiss public television, SRF, on Monday. The company is also accused of having used a price dumping policy to unfairly increase its market share in...
Read More »Bitcoin or British Pound ‘Pretty Much Failed’ As Currency?
– Bitcoin has ‘pretty much failed’ as a currency says Bank of England Carney– Bitcoin is neither a store of value nor a useful way to buy things – BOE’s Carney– Project fear against crypto-currencies or an out of control investing bubble?– Bitcoin will likely recover in value but is speculative and not for widows and orphans– British pound has been a terrible store of value – unlike gold– Pound collapsed 30% in 2016...
Read More »The End of (Artificial) Stability
The central banks’/states’ power to maintain a permanent bull market in stocks and bonds is eroding. There is nothing natural about the stability of the past 9 years. The bullish trends in risk assets are artificial constructs of central bank/state policies. As these policies are reduced or lose their effectiveness, the era of artificial stability is coming to a close. The 9-year run of Bull-trend stability is ending as...
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