Switzerland
SNB's Hildebrand says rate hikes may be needed
Swiss National Bank board member Philipp Hildebrand said it may be necessary to increase interest rates further if it becomes clear that a 'sustainable improvement of economic prospects' is occurring.
SNB says rates won't stay low for long
A recovery in the Swiss economy will probably take interest rates higher sooner rather later, according to a central bank board member in a newspaper interview published on Wednesday 17 August.
BIS's Knight on the year 2004-05 in review
In the speech 'Activities of the Bank: the year 2004-05 in review' given on 27 June, Malcolm Knight of the BIS said the legacy of 75 years of central bank cooperation is remarkably strong.
SNB's Roth on Switzerland: Small, but global
In the speech 'Switzerland: Small, but global' given on 10 June, Jean-Pierre Roth of the SNB said many fail to appreciate that this alpine republic is not merely a quaint little country for tourists, but a platform for global activity.
SNB's Hildebrand on financial markets
In the speech 'Do financial markets promote responsible behaviour?' given on 21 May, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said there are times in history when the world economy undergoes fundamental structural change. With the rapid integration…
Surprising transparency on Swiss gold sales
This article looks at the recent speech by Philipp Hildebrand on the Swiss National Bank's gold sales. The speech represented "amazing after-the-event transparency" it says.
SNB's Roth at the AGM of shareholders
In a speech given on 29 April, Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said 2004 was a relatively favourable year for the Swiss economy, but a few clouds have recently appeared on the horizon.
Hildebrand on lessons from the SNB's gold sales
In a speech on 'SNB gold sales - Lessons and experiences' given on 5 May, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said the Swiss National Bank completed its gold selling program of 1300 tonnes on March 30, 2005. Before these sales, Switzerland's…
SNB's Hildebrand on the EU economic recovery
In a speech on 'The EU economic recovery: why is it so slow?' given on 21 April, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said real GDP growth in the US has consistently outperformed growth in the European Union since the 80s. Besides cyclical and…
Swiss National Bank - Annual Report 2004
The Swiss National Bank has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2004. The SNB's financial results for 2004 registered a distributable profit of CHF 20.7 billion, as compared with CHF 2.3 billion a year earlier.
Switzerland's growth deficit: A real problem
A recent paper by Ulrich Kohli of the Swiss National Bank "Switzerland's growth deficit: A real problem - but only half as bad as it looks" says the anaemic growth performance of Switzerland over the past quarter of a century is a cause for concern.
SNB's Hildebrand on the hedge fund industry
In a speech on 'Developments in the Hedge Fund industry' given on 4 February, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said hedge funds have been an important source of innovation in the asset management industry. They have rendered financial…
SNB's Tornare on technical aspect of new banknotes
In a speech on 'Technical aspects of a new banknote series' given on 2 February, Roland Tornare of the Swiss National Bank said the design of banknotes has to meet various requirements. The banknotes must guarantee a high degree of security and satisfy…
SNB's Blattner on the new banknotes project
In a speech on Switzerland's new banknotes project given on 2 February, Niklaus Blattner of the Swiss National Bank said this step has become necessary because of the development of new technologies and the typically high demands on the design quality of…
Hildebrand on managing the SNB's assets
In a speech on 'Developments in the international financial markets and managing the Swiss National Bank's assets' given on 16 December, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said the SNB's leeway for investment has extended considerably since…
Roth on the SNB's new inflation forecast
In a speech on 'The Swiss National Bank's new inflation forecast' given on 16 December, Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said economic growth in Switzerland has lost some of its momentum. While still expecting economic growth to be close to 2%…
SNB's Roth on life in a two-headed monetary system
In a speech on 'Life in a two-headed monetary system: The Swiss experience' given on 29 November, Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said the birth of the euro has fundamentally changed the shape of the international monetary system with the…
SNB's Roth on the Swiss franc and euro
In a speech on the ' Swiss franc and euro: Two sister currencies?' given on 19 November Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said the introduction of the euro in 1999 constituted a real revolution for Europe and represented arguably the major…
Switzerland's last tranche of gold sales
In spring 2000, the Swiss National Bank began selling that part of the gold reserves no longer required for monetary policy purposes. The sales - which will total 1,300 tonnes - have to date been effected according to the agreement on gold sales…
Hildebrand on the new investment policy of the SNB
In a speech on 'The new investment policy of the Swiss National Bank' given on 17, June Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said the management of the monetary reserves has gained in importance. The National Bank Act requires the National Bank…
SNB's Roth sees GDP growth of 'almost' 2 pct
Swiss National Bank (SMB) chairman Jean-Pierre Roth said he expects the Swiss economy to grow by "almost" 2 pct this year, repeating previous comments by the central bank.
Swiss National Bank raises interest rates
The Swiss National Bank on Thursday announced it was raising its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point after holding near zero for more than a year.
Challenges to the Swiss financial center
In a speech on 'Facts and challenges to the Swiss financial center' given on 3 June, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said the financial sector is a critical contributor to the vitality and resilience of the Swiss economy. Defending and…
SNB's Roth on the creation of the euro
In a speech on 'The Creation of the Euro and the New International Monetary Order: A View from Switzerland' given on 4 June, Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said the introduction of the euro has been a very positive development for the…