Tag Archive: newslettersent

Great Graphic: Despite Higher Oil Prices, Middle East Pegs Remain Under Pressure

2016-06-08

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2016-06-08

With today’s gains, the price of Brent has nearly doubled from its lows in January. Of course, the price of oil is still less than half of levels that prevailed two years ago.  At the same time, many leveraged investors cast a jaundiced eye toward currency pegs.  Many have concluded that the Middle East currency pegs …

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Swiss Consumer Price Index in May 2016: -0.4 percent against 2015, +0.1 percent against last month

2016-06-08

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2016-06-08

For the third time in a row, prices in Switzerland increased against the previous month. Inflation was -0.4% against last year. Still in 2015 yearly inflation was mostly around -1.5% y/y. Now yearly HCPI inflation is -0.5%. Will this rising price tendency continue?

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Swiss Reserves: Not what They Seem

2016-06-08

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2016-06-08

SNB Currency Allocation 2016
This posts shows again the stupidity of the financial media, that mixes up assets and liabilities for central banks. SNB FX reserves are assets. They are in different foreign currencies and subject to the valuation effect of these currencies.

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FX Daily, June7: Another Breakdown of EUR/CHF

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

Once again both EUR and USD broke down against the franc. The adverse effect of the Friday US jobs reports is visible again. Moreover, CHF appreciated with the Asian block, with AUD and NZD and with the oil price.

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The Real Reason We Have a Welfare State

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

  From Subject to Citizen BALTIMORE – June 5th, the Swiss cast their votes and registered their opinions: “No,” they said. We left off yesterday wondering why something for nothing never works. Not as monetary policy. Not as welfare or foreign aid. N...

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Employment barometer in 1st quarter 2016: Employment growth, but only in tertiary sector

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

In the 1st quarter 2016 total employment (number of jobs) rose by 0.6% compared with the same quarter a year ago (0.0% compared with the previous quarter). In full-time equivalents, employment in the same period fell by 0.2%. The other employment indicators also showed a downward trend. These are the findings of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

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Moving Closer to BREXIT

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

  Polls Show Growing Support for a Break with the EU In the UK as elsewhere, the political elites may have underestimated the strength of the trend change in social mood across Europe. The most recent “You-Gov” and ICM pools show a widening lead in f...

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Free Money Leaves Everyone Poorer

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

  Destroying Lives BALTIMORE – A dear reader reminded us of the comment, supposedly made by Groucho Marx: “A free lunch? You can’t afford a free lunch.”   Groucho dispensing valuable advice Photo via imdb.com   He was responding to last week’s Diary ...

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The Cost of Bullish Bets

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

Keith Weiner's weekly look on Gold. Gold and silver prices, Gold-Silver Price Ratio, Gold basis and co-basis and the dollar price, Silver basis and co-basis and the dollar price.

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Is it Time to Buy Real Estate? Yes and No

2016-06-07

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2016-06-07

  Is it Time to Buy Income-Producing Real Estate?  No, No, No. Much to the dismay of my real estate buddies, who are complaining about how high prices while watching the cash flow of their portfolios bursting at the seams from a few good years of ren...

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Great Graphic: Brexit Risks Rise

2016-06-06

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2016-06-06

Brexit Predict This Great Graphic shows the price people are willing to pay to bet that the UK votes to leave the EU at the June 23 referendum on the PredictIt events markets.   We included the lower chart to give some sense of volume of activity on this wager in this event market. Presently, one … Continue reading »

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FAQ: ECB’s Corporate Bond Buying Program Starts

2016-06-06

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2016-06-06

In March, the ECB decided to increase its asset purchases from 60 to 80 bln euros a month and to include corporate bonds.  The corporate bond buying program begins this week.   We use an FAQ format to discuss the key issues. What is the ECB doing?   The ECB will buy euro-denominated, investment grade bonds … Continue reading...

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FX Daily, June 6: Shallow Bounce in Dollar, though Sterling Pressured by Brexit Polls

2016-06-06

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2016-06-06

With the dismal jobs reports,  speculators had to buy euro to cover their shorts (mostly against USD, but also against CHF). This led to a rising EUR/CHF on Friday. Today fundamental rules were valid again: In times of slow growth, the Swiss franc appreciates. Hence EUR/CHF was down by 49 bips.     After the …

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Emerging Markets: Preview of the Week Ahead

2016-06-06

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2016-06-06

Russian central bank meets Friday and is expected to keep rates steady at 11.0%.  However, the market is split.  Of the 25 analysts polled by Bloomberg, 13 see no move and 12 see a 50 bp cut to 10.5%.  The central bank has been on hold since the last...

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“Marxist Dream” Crushed – In Landslide Vote, Swiss Reject Proposal To Hand Out Free Money To Everyone

2016-06-05

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2016-06-05

This weekend the Swiss population was called upon to make a historic decision, when Switzerland became the first country worldwide to put the idea of free money for everyone, technically known as Unconditional Basic Income (of CHF2,500 per month for every adult). The Swiss rejected the proposal with a big majority.

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FX Weekly Preview: Macro Developments Will Not Stand in Way of Dollar Move Lower

2016-06-05

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2016-06-05

Through the first part of the year, the swinging pendulum of expectations for the trajectory of Fed policy has been a major driver in the foreign exchange market.  This is true even though the ECB and BOJ continue to ease monetary policy aggressively.   The Australian and New Zealand dollars appear to influenced more by the … Continue...

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8 Lessons That We Can Learn From The Economic Meltdown In Venezuela

2016-06-05

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2016-06-05

Submitted by Michael Snyder via The End of The American Dream blog, We are watching an entire nation collapse right in front of our eyes.  As you read this article, there are severe shortages of just about anything you can imagine in Venezuela.&nb...

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FX Weekly Review May 30 to June 3: Dollar’s Rally Ends with a Bang

2016-06-05

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2016-06-05

The dollar peaked on May 30, but it was not clear until the poor US jobs report sent the greenback reeling on June 3. The EUR/CHF surprisingly increased, despite weak US data. No wonder, speculators had to cover their short EUR positions.

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Weekly Speculative Positions: Little Adjustment ahead of ECB and US Jobs

2016-06-04

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2016-06-04

The Swiss Franc net position was reduced from 4.0 contracts long to 0.1 thousand contracts long. Apart from the yen., other speculative position barely changed. We are keen on next week's data that should reflect the dismal US jobs report.

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Emerging Markets: What has Changed

2016-06-04

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2016-06-04

Local press is reporting that RBI Governor Rajan does not want to serve another term The incoming Philippine government is signaling looser fiscal policies ahead

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