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

No Relief Rally, but the Dollar Squeaks By the Pound and Franc

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) The relief rally for the U.S. dollar that I expected after the S&P downgrade of U.S. government debt did not materialize last week. {snip}…The dollar gained 1.6% over the franc BUT not until after the … Read more

S&P Downgrade of U.S. Debt Sets Up A Potential Dollar Relief Rally

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) Nouriel Roubini thinks the S&P downgrade could help lock the U.S. into a recession and Christina Romer wants to “swing for the fences” and respond with a massive jobs bill – Bloomberg Video: “Roubini, Rosner, … Read more

The Swiss National Bank Warns That Strong Currency Threatens Economy

Two nations have the odd combination of near zero interest rates and extremely strong currencies: Japan and Switzerland. Japan has finally moved once again to try weakening its popular currency (click here for a description I gave on how to play the intervention). The Swiss National Bank (SNB), burned by a very unsuccessful attempt to … Read more

How to Play Another Yen Intervention

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) Reuters reported yesterday that Japan is getting ready to intervene to weaken its currency. Japanese authorities are getting anxious because the yen is reaching the multi-decade highs versus the U.S. dollar last set in the … Read more