Swiss inflation slows further as SNB mulls september rate hike
Swiss inflation slowed to the lowest rate in one and a half years, testing the determination of SNB officials who have signaled that a further tightening step in September is likely.
Consumer prices rose 1.6% in July from a year earlier, down from 1.7% the previous month.
Source: Bloomberg, Swiss Fed statistical office
Swiss Manufaccturing PMI at lowest since 2009
Swiss manufacturing activity plummeted at the start of the third quarter, with PMI dropping to 38.5 points in July from 44.90 in June. While the gauge has been below the vital threshold of 50 since the start of the year, this is the worst reading since 2009.
Source: Bloomberg, Credit Suisse
A parliamentary investigation into the collapse of Credit Suisse will keep its files closed for 50 years
A parliamentary investigation into the collapse of Credit Suisse will keep its files closed for 50 years, according to a parliamentary committee document, a level of secrecy that has triggered concern among Swiss historians. The document means the investigating commission would hand over its files to the Swiss Federal Archives after a longer gap than the usual 30 years to ensure high levels of confidentiality apply to the investigation, which has generated huge public interest. The investigation will focus on the activities of the Swiss government, financial regulator and central bank in the run up to the emergency takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS in March. The investigation is only the fifth of its kind in the country's modern history and the committee of lawmakers conducting it has sweeping powers to call on the Swiss cabinet, finance ministry and other state bodies. "After the completion of the investigation, the files shall be handed over to the Federal Archives and shall be subject to an extended protection period of 50 years," the committee said in a strategy paper outlining its communication policy. Source: Reuters
The swissfranc rises to strongest against the dollar since 2015
The swissfranc rises to strongest against the dollar since 2015 after weaker than expected US inflation data. Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
Swiss Inflation returned below SNB’s 2% Ceiling in June
The figures offer limited reassurance to officials who have already signaled further
tightening is likely.
CPI YoY rose 1.7%, down from 2.2% the previous month, as energy costs fell. Underlying inflation, which strips out such volatile elements, also slowed to 1.8%. Source: BBG, Swiss statistics agency
Switzerland’s new inflation forecast supports another SNB hike
The government expects inflation to be above the central bank’s target this year which reinforces a likely interest-rate hike next week. The SECO said consumer prices will rise 2.3% this year. That down from 2022’s 2.8%, and also slightly lower than a March prediction of 2.4%.
Source: Bloomberg, SECO
