Tag Archive: Switzerland

Consolidative Session Marked by Weak Chinese Imports and White House Debt Ceiling Talks

2023-05-09

by

2023-05-09

Overview: The market sentiment remains fragile. Equities are mostly lower. Japan was a notable exception, and concerns about China's economy after a sharp decline in imports took mainland and Hong Kong listed companies sharply lower. Europe's Stoxx 600 is giving back yesterday's 0.35% gain plus more. Bank shares are off 0.65% after rallying 4.20% over the past two sessions. US equity futures are heavier. Benchmark 10-year yields are mostly a couple...

Read More »

Bank Stress Hobbles the Dollar, while Dissents Make the 50 bp Hike by Sweden less than Hawkish

2023-04-26

by

2023-04-26

Overview: The re-emergence of bank stress reverberated through the US markets yesterday, downgrading the perceived chances of a Fed hike next week and sending the US 2-year yield sharply lower. The yield settled 13 bp lower, the largest drop in three weeks. The risk-off sent the US dollar higher against most of the major and emerging market currencies. Follow-through US dollar gains today has been mostly limited to the Australian dollar, where...

Read More »

Swiss Central Bank Payment Vision Outlining Focus on DLT, Tokenization and Instant Payments

2023-04-13

by

2023-04-13

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has shared how it intends to “future-proof” the domestic payment ecosystem, outlining its ambition to leverage technologies and processes including tokenization and distributed ledger technology (DLT) to establish an “efficient, reliable and secure ecosystem” that’s geared towards “the future of cashless payments in Switzerland,” SNB governing board member, Andréa Maechler, said during an event on March 30, 2023. The...

Read More »

Credit Suisse and the War Against Swiss Culture

2023-04-10

by

2023-04-10

I hope you will enjoy my latest interview with Maneco64. [embedded content] Claudio Grass, Hünenberg See, Switzerland This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Therefore please feel free to share and you can subscribe for my articles by clicking here

Read More »

Firmer Rates and Higher Bank Stocks Give the Greenback Little Help

2023-03-28

by

2023-03-28

Overview: Financial strains eased yesterday, and short-term yields jumped. The two-year US yield jumped 25 bp to pierce 4%. Yet, the dollar fell against most of the major currencies yesterday and is mostly softer today. Banking stress is ebbing. The Topix bank index snapped a three-day decline and jumped nearly 2% today to recoup the lion's share of its three-day decline. The Stoxx 600 index of EMU banks is extending yesterday's 1,7% advance. The...

Read More »

Yields Pull Back to Start the New Week

2023-03-06

by

2023-03-06

Overview: The modest economic goals announced as China's National People's Congress starts was seen as a cautionary sign after growth disappointed last year. It seemed to weigh on Chinese stocks, though others large bourses in the region advanced, led by Japan's Nikkei and South Korea with gains of more than 1%. Europe's Stoxx 600 is little changed after rising for the past two sessions. US index futures are slightly softer. Strong gains were seen...

Read More »

Markets Catch Collective Breath

2023-02-16

by

2023-02-16

Overview:  On the heels of a dramatic jump in US job creation and firmer than expected year-over-year CPI, the US reported a larger than expected jump in retail sales and a strong recovery in manufacturing output. Few think that economic momentum that the recent data implies can be repeated, the "no landing" camp has gained adherents. We suspect that says more about psychology than the economy. The US two-year note is threatening to snap...

Read More »

Poor US Data Cast Doubts on New Found Hopes of a Soft-Landing

2023-01-19

by

2023-01-19

Overview:  Yesterday's string of dismal US economic data delivered a material blow to those still thinking that a soft-landing was possible. Retail sales by the most in the a year. Manufacturing output fell by nearly 2.5% in the last two months of 2022. Bad economic news weighed on US stocks. The honeymoon of New Year may have ended yesterday. The US 10-year yield fell below 3.40% for the first time since the middle of last September. The Atlanta...

Read More »

Gold is money – everything else is credit!

2022-12-14

by

2022-12-14

What physical precious metals investors can expect 2023 and beyond Throughout the better part of 2022 there has been one question that has consistently, and predictably, popped up in conversations with my friends, clients and readers. Those who know me and are familiar with my ideas are well aware of my position on precious metals and the multiple roles they serve, so I can’t blame them for them for being curious whether I still “stick to my...

Read More »

Consolidative Tuesday

2022-10-25

by

2022-10-25

Overview: The yen and sterling are trading quietly after the recent drama, but with the Party Congress ending, the Chinese yuan has been permitted to fall faster. It approached the 2% band today and its loss of about 0.65% today makes it the weakest among the emerging market currencies.

Read More »

SNB Losses in the News

2022-08-01

by

2022-08-01

My written statement for 20minuten: Anlageverluste der SNB sind schlecht für den Schweizer Steuerzahler, denn ihm gehört die SNB. Sie können aber auch Entwicklungen widerspiegeln, die ihre guten Seiten haben. Jetzt zum Beispiel führt die Frankenstärke zu Anlageverlusten, bremst aber auch die importierte Inflation.

Read More »

The SNB’s Financial Result, Currency Reserves, and Distribution Reserve

2022-07-27

by

2022-07-27

How are SNB profits and losses distributed and what issues are debated? Annual Result Funds two “Reserves” The annual result (Jahresergebnis) of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) is split into two parts.

Read More »

Euro Tests Parity

2022-07-12

by

2022-07-12

Equities remain under pressure as investors contemplate tighter financial conditions and the risks of recession. Most of the large equity markets in the Asia Pacific region sold-off, led by a 2.7% drop in Taiwan.

Read More »

Risk Appetites Improve Ahead of the Weekend

2022-06-24

by

2022-06-24

Overview: Equities are higher and bonds lower as the week's activity winds down. Asia Pacific markets rallied, paced by more than 2% gains in Hong Kong and South Korea.

Read More »

A crack-up boom in the making

2022-06-14

by

2022-06-14

The great Ludwig von Mises first described the concept of a crack-up boom as part of the Austrian business cycle theory, based on real life events that to an unsuspecting bystander might have appeared unconnected, or perhaps even quite bizarre and counterintuitive. Indeed, such a bystander might think the same of today’s economy and would likely have trouble making sense of the picture painted by stock markets, by our monetary and fiscal policies...

Read More »

A Look at Switzerland’s Booming Digital Asset Ecosystem

2022-06-08

by

2022-06-08

In recent years, Switzerland’s blockchain and digital asset ecosystem has matured rapidly and grown into one of the world’s leading blockchain hubs, a position that’s asserted by its expanding workforce and a rising number of foreign companies setting up operations locally.

Read More »

Inflation outlook – A battle lost before it started

2022-06-03

by

2022-06-03

After months of consumer price increases and after countless working households found themselves in dire financial straits struggling to make ends meet, in the late May, President Biden finally revealed his grand plan to fight inflation in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. The much-anticipated response to the cost of living crisis that has been ravaging the nation sadly did not contain the silver bullet that so many Americans were hoping for....

Read More »

Dollar Starts the Week Bid ahead of the FOMC

2021-12-13

by

2021-12-13

Overview: Equities, bonds, and the dollar begin the new week on a firm note.  Japanese, Chinese, Australian, and New Zealand equities advanced in the Asia Pacific region.  Europe's Stoxx 600 is snapping a three-day decline, and US futures are 0.25%-0.35% higher.  The US 10-year yield is a little softer at 1.48%. European benchmark yields are mostly 1-2 bp lower, and near 0.71%, the UK Gilt's yield is at a three-month low.  The dollar is rising...

Read More »

RBA Jettisons Yield Curve Control but Continues to Resist Market Pressure

2021-11-02

by

2021-11-02

Overview: The third record close of the S&P 500 failed to lift Asia Pacific and European shares today.  In Asia, the large bourses fell, except South Korea, which rallied a little more than 1%.  Europe's Stoxx 600 is threatening to snap a three-day advance, while US index futures are soft.  The US 10-year yield is firm, around 1.56%.  European bonds are rallying.  Peripheral yields are off 8-9 bp, while core rates are 3-5 lower.  The Reserve...

Read More »

Markets Look for Direction, Currencies in Narrow Ranges

2021-08-12

by

2021-08-12

Overview: The global capital markets are subdued today as investors wrestle with the rising virus, the shifting stance of several central banks, and a more tense geopolitical backdrop.  Equity markets are struggling today. 

Read More »