By Administrator_India,
Sight deposits at the Swiss National Bank increased only marginally last week, suggesting President Thomas Jordan and his colleagues aren’t taking much action to counter the strengthening franc.
Iran-U.S. tensions and fears about the spreading Coronavirus has lifted the haven franc this year. Earlier on Monday, it breached the 1.07 per euro mark to touch a fresh three-year high.
Yet total sight deposits rose just 0.22% to 587 billion francs ($605 billion) in the week ending Jan. 24, central bank figures show.
While there’s been no evidence of interventions recently, the threat of action remains remains alive. SNB President Thomas Jordan told Bloomberg Television last week that the pledge to sell the franc if needed remains in place alongside the central bank’s record-low interest rates.
Last week, euro-area officials expressed optimism over signs of economic stabilization, citing easing global trade tensions and a mildly expansionary fiscal policy. UBS Group AG reversed its call for an SNB rate cut in March.
Responding to a U.S. decision to add Switzerland back on its watch list for currency manipulators, Jordan said the SNB was only looking to stave off deflationary conditions with its purchases of foreign currency.
