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Swiss Franc Plunges, SNB Implicated

Tyler Durden's picture




Currency devaluation is here: Traders seeing SNB intervention to weaken frank. Swiss Bank unavailable for comment.




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Fri, 01/29/2010 - 13:42 | Link to Comment Assetman
Assetman's picture

Quick... what's the Swiss word for "HOLY CRAP"????

That's a trick question, btw...

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:23 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:11 | Link to Comment Noah Vail
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Scheizer

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:21 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 16:08 | Link to Comment Joe Sixpack
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How about heilige scheiss ?

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 13:54 | Link to Comment Highrev
Highrev's picture

The Swiss don't seem to be too concerned.

The SMI was the only major index that I follow (aside from the Nikkei) that DIDN'T close below its mid-Bollinger on the weekly.

Frankly, I don't know exactly what to make of the strength in the SMI . . .

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 13:50 | Link to Comment Oracle of Kypseli
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SANTO SCAT

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:52 | Link to Comment dead hobo
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For you and the other linguists above,

Thank you for improving my word power.

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 13:50 | Link to Comment Orly
Orly's picture

I was wondering what the deal was with the Swissie these past few days.  It has not been acting at all "normal."  Usually, it is my favorite pair to trade (USD/CHF...) but I had a real bad feeling about it.

Too bad.  Coulda made a bundle.

Coulda lost my ass, too.

:D

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:38 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 17:32 | Link to Comment Haywood Jablowme
Haywood Jablowme's picture

And you have a better chance in the stock market which is much more easily manipulated???

Uhhh, sorry pal but:

FOREX >> BOND MARKET >>>>>> STOCK MARKET

 

Or you can just "keep it simple stupid" and buy PM's.

 

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 18:45 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 02:55 | Link to Comment Yardfarmer
Yardfarmer's picture

 I've heard from investor that the Brazil real was in trouble. Now it's the Swiss Franc. Can someone tell me what the hell is really going on. I'm a widower on fixed income. 

Sun, 01/31/2010 - 00:23 | Link to Comment bc0203
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You're going to get this sort of volatility with any fiat currency, particuarly one with a high debt to GDP ratio.  This is why you hear people on here harp on having at least some of your assets in precious metals (such as silver or gold.)

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 13:51 | Link to Comment Oracle of Kypseli
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SANTO MIERDO?

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:00 | Link to Comment AxiosAdv
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It's disgusting that even the Swiss have resorted to this mess.  The last bastion of stability has gone to hell.  They did this last year and fried me as I got caught leaning the wrong way.

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:06 | Link to Comment Orly
Orly's picture

It is probably safe to get short here, as the economic fundamentals have not changed.  They can buy all the Euros they want, but it won't stop the leak in the boat.

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:37 | Link to Comment Unscarred
Unscarred's picture

Nothing new here- the SNB intervened back in March '09, as well.  Given the move back then, you'd like to see it gain a little bit more on the euro before selling the cross, but with the incredibly weak EU fundamentals, this probably is a good place to open a position.

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 02:59 | Link to Comment Yardfarmer
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Short as in 117

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:03 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:04 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:08 | Link to Comment Orly
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My charts have EUR/USD to 1.250.  can't go wrong getting long-term short here.

 

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 03:01 | Link to Comment Yardfarmer
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 Short as in 117

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:08 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:25 | Link to Comment Orly
Orly's picture

Absolutely.  Somehow, Unca Ben and his fellow Jean-Claude have an agreement to allow their currencies to be trashed in turn.

Works for me!

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 16:38 | Link to Comment faustian bargain
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Don't they all have an agreement?

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:10 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 06:29 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:13 | Link to Comment emsolý
emsolý's picture

would they do this outside of regular working hours (cet time)?

 

(i guess if you consider the usual weekend bailouting from the US side, the answer would be yes...)

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:27 | Link to Comment Orly
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I believe that they would have to purchase Euros through the Swiss National Bank and this can only be done when the 4X market is open.

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 16:33 | Link to Comment emsolý
emsolý's picture

ok, i guess my point was that this happened Friday after 6pm CET time i.e. outside of regular Swiss banking hours...

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:16 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:50 | Link to Comment Oracle of Kypseli
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If so, why aren't Precious Metals taking off? 

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 21:29 | Link to Comment Master Bates
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Because they're terribly overvalued as it is and set up for further downside?

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 22:46 | Link to Comment Unscarred
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MB- I really appreciate the fact that you (a) are open-minded, (b) don't fall into the 'group-think' mentality, and (c) aren't afraid to speak your mind in the face of inevitable criticism.

This may or may not be in your wheelhouse, but what are your thoughts on a long-term secular trend of dollar strength v. euro (EUR/USD weakness, and subsequent GBP/USD weakness and USD/CHF strength, as well), matched with emerging market currency strength v. the dollar (and most every other currency)?

This is something I've been contemplating for a while, and comes from the level of indebtedness across the globe (U.S.- not good; Europe- bad; Japan- ugly), coupled with the well established trend of capital flows out of the U.S. and Europe towards emerging markets.  Granted, don't look for Russia to participate, given their government controls and aging population, but certainly Brazil, India and China stand to offer the best prospects for growth AND capital investment for the next 'x' number of years.

Here's a few additional reading, if you're interested:

WSJ.com - The Ugly Truth Behind the Dollar and Euro

WSJ.com - Experts See Another Global Dip Ahead

Thanks, and I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 06:52 | Link to Comment guidoamm
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If I may, I'd like to offer my 2c which is not a definitive answer but should give food for thought for further inquiry.

I am squarely in the deflationist camp brought about by credit market deleveraging. Typically, in an deflationary environment one would expect the currency to strengthen. The US$ being the world reserve currency and most of global credit being denominated in US$, the Dollar should theoretically benefit from a deflationary outcome.

My dilemma is that in 100years since the creation of the modern Dollar, the currency has been inflated to a few basis points of complete debasement. And now with de facto quantitative easing to monetize US sovereign debt (that other sovereigns cannot or do not want to purchase as contemplated by the current floating exchange rate mechanism), the debasement has presumably reached nuclear proportions.

I run currency charts and I monitor them daily. I am currently long UUP and most of my investments are in bullion and US$ denominated instruments. So, technically, I am 100% long the US$ with UUP acting as leverage I suppose.

So far, it looks to me like the US$ has more upside thus potentially confirming a deflationary outcome. But monetary policy tells me that the US$ is doomed.... the question is timing I suppose.

My currency charts are on page 3

http://stockcharts.com/def/servlet/Favorites.CServlet?obj=ID3585763

 

 

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:23 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:26 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:35 | Link to Comment mojine
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NICE!

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:37 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:42 | Link to Comment Bruce Krasting
Bruce Krasting's picture

Don't think the SNB is involved here. It is Friday. They went home at noon. When they intervene they do it against the Euro, not the dollar. So this is not intervention.

But I am curious what it is. It looks like someone had something to do and leaned into an illiquid market??

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 14:47 | Link to Comment Orly
Orly's picture

All it would take is a good rumor to get it started.  Maybe someone somewhere heard that they would be buying Euros and passed it off as gospel.

If that someone had been leaning into an illiquid market, from the looks of this move, that soemone would have to have been ginormous.

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 16:31 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:34 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 17:27 | Link to Comment Oracle of Kypseli
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Repeat.

Why aren't PM taking off if the race to the bottom is on?

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 17:35 | Link to Comment Haywood Jablowme
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Why is it that 99.99% of all the shorting comes during COMEX hours?

Hello?  McFly?  Is anybody home?

 

 

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 21:42 | Link to Comment Busy-Body
Busy-Body's picture

Bingo!  We have a winner.  Check out the short PM positions held by JPMorgan, especially silver.  PMs will rocket when it is time - regretfully, that time is a bit longer away.  First, PMs must participate further to the downside when the equities deleverage.  Then gold/silver and other PMs will decouple from other commodities (copper et al) and go incrementally higher until the fiat world becomes patently unsustainable - then blast off!

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:37 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 15:45 | Link to Comment chinaguy
chinaguy's picture

This started on Monday. Lots of resistance @ 92

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 16:07 | Link to Comment deadhead
deadhead's picture

Nothing to worry about folks.

Larry Summers said in Davos that the dollar is going to be around for a looooong time.

Happy days are here again.  Phew, I was getting worried there for a moment.....

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 17:04 | Link to Comment Mr Lennon Hendrix
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Bank holiday soon...monday?

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 18:16 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 18:30 | Link to Comment chinaguy
chinaguy's picture

CHF bounces back after hours

Fri, 01/29/2010 - 18:58 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Sat, 01/30/2010 - 00:29 | Link to Comment Grand Supercycle
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Dollar Swiss has been bullish for some time - like the US dollar.

Go long.

UPDATES:
http://www.zerohedge.com/forum/market-outlook-0

 

 

Sat, 01/30/2010 - 01:48 | Link to Comment Anonymous
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