Currency Markets Once Again Force the Hand of the Swiss National Bank

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 18, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The Swiss National Bank (SNB) reacted swiftly. It could have just been a “fat finger” trade an hour before U.S. trading began. In an instant, the euro (FXE) vs Swiss Franc … Read more

Forex Setup Week (August 17, 2014): Return of the Franc

Last week’s edition of Forex Setup Week featured three major trends: a looming breakdown in the British pound (FXB), a fresh 200-day moving average (DMA) breakout for the U.S. dollar over the Canadian dollar (FXC), and a resilient Australian dollar. The British pound did indeed fail its critical test against the U.S. dollar and broke … Read more

Swiss National Bank Decreases Inflation Forecast, Sees Increased Real Estate Risks

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 12, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) As expected, in its December monetary policy assessment, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) left its target range for the three-month Libor unchanged at 0.0 to 0.25% and reaffirmed its commitment to … Read more

Cash Is Trash When Denoted In Francs

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 6, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) On Monday, November 3, Bloomberg reported that Credit Suisse Group AG (CS) will soon charge negative interest rates on cash balances denoted in Swiss francs (FXF). Francs are increasingly becoming trash … Read more

T2108 Update – September 2, 2011 (Setback)

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. To learn more about it, see my T2108 Resource Page. You can follow real-time T2108 commentary on twitter using the #T2108 hashtag.) T2108 Status: 24% VIX Status: 34 General (Short-term) Trading Call: Start closing out bearish positions. Otherwise hold. (See below … Read more

T2108 Update – September 1, 2011 (Return of the franc)

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. To learn more about it, see my T2108 Resource Page. You can follow real-time T2108 commentary on twitter using the #T2108 hashtag.) T2108 Status: 31% VIX Status: 32 General (Short-term) Trading Call: Hold (see below for more details). Commentary The weight … Read more

No Currency Peg Yet for the Swiss Franc As SNB Escalates

Today, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) announced it is taking additional measures to try to weaken its currency and wave off the franc’s many adoring fans. The SNB’s latest statement gets an “A” in rhetoric for amplifying its fighting words and claiming victory in one battle even as the bank warns it is prepared to … Read more