SNB’s Martin: Global economy to grow more strongly than expected in Q3
Swiss National Bank (SNB) Vice Chairman Antoine Martin delivered optimistic remarks on the global economy after the monetary policy announcement in which the central bank held interest rates at 0%, as expected.
Additional remarks
Uncertainty decreased since the last SNB decision.
Global economy grew more strongly than expected in Q3.
Global economic development in many countries is more resilient than expected
Higher investments than expected, as investments in AI are high.
Insecurity has declined slightly, compared to the last assessment.
However, significant risks persist for the global economy, with US tariffs among them.
Expect global economy to grow moderately over next quarters.
FX Implications
SNB Martin’s comments are unlikely to impact the Swiss Franc (CHF) as they are more about the global economy. At the press time, USD/CHF trades 0.1% lower to near 0.7995.
Swiss economy FAQs
Switzerland is the ninth-largest economy measured by nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the European continent. Measured by GDP per capita – a broad measure of average living standards –, the country ranks among the highest in the world, meaning that it is one the richest countries globally. Switzerland tends to be in the top spots in global rankings about living standards, development indexes, competitiveness or innovation.
Switzerland is an open, free-market economy mainly based on the services sector. The Swiss economy has a strong export sector, and the neighboring European Union (EU) is its main trading partner. Switzerland is a leading exporter of watches and clocks, and hosts leading firms in the food, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries. The country is considered to be an international tax haven, with significantly low corporate and income tax rates compared with its European neighbors.
As a high-income country, the growth rate of the Swiss economy has diminished over the last decades. Still, its political and economic stability, its high education levels, top-tier firms in several industries and its tax-haven status have made it a preferred destination for foreign investment. This has generally benefited the Swiss Franc (CHF), which has historically kept relatively strong against its main currency peers. Generally, a good performance of the Swiss economy – based on high growth, low unemployment and stable prices – tends to appreciate CHF. Conversely, if economic data points to weakening momentum, CHF is likely to depreciate.
Switzerland isn’t a commodity exporter, so in general commodity prices aren’t a key driver of the Swiss Franc (CHF). However, there is a slight correlation with both Gold and Oil prices. With Gold, CHF’s status as a safe-haven and the fact that the currency used to be backed by the precious metal means that both assets tend to move in the same direction. With Oil, a paper released by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) suggests that the rise in Oil prices could negatively influence CHF valuation, as Switzerland is a net importer of fuel.