Swiss National Bank Speaks Frankly On Growing Downside Economic Risks

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) released its latest decision on monetary policy on Thursday, March 21. Apparently the warnings from the SNB were drowned out by the rallies in financial markets that day. The SNB dropped its growth forecast, its inflation forecast, and reiterated that economic risks are biased to the downside. I took particular … Read more

Forex Critical: The Swiss Franc Completes A Reversal A Long Time in the Making

It was utter chaos in January, 2015: the Swiss National Bank (SNB) capitulated on its self-made 1.20 floor against the euro on EUR/CHF. The bottom completely fell out the currency pair and caused ripple effects around the world of forex. I barely traded the Swiss franc since then specifically because of what I perceived as … Read more

A Slow Grind: The Two Pillars Of Swiss Monetary Policy – Negative Rates and Franc Intervention

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 9, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) On November 3, 2015, Thomas Jordan, the Chair of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) spoke in front of the Investment Strategists Association of Geneva on the topic “The SNB’s monetary policy … Read more

Short the Franc Even As Negative Rates Are Proving Insufficient to End Strength Versus the Euro

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 5, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Don’t look now, but the Swiss franc (FXF) is seemingly back for another test of the 1.20 currency floor against the euro (FXE). When the market forced the hand of the … Read more

Swiss National Bank Revises Forecasts Downward for Negative Inflation In 2015

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 11, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) According to the Swiss National Bank (SNB), inflation is returning to negative territory in 2015. In its December 11, 2014 assessment of monetary policy, the SNB once again adjusted its inflation … Read more