Gold Demand Explodes as Volatility and Fear Stalk Market
By: GoldCore
GoldSeek.com
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Although the extent to which the surprise move by the Swiss National Bank last week has damaged financial institutions will not be apparent until the end of the month, it is already clear that enormous damage has been wreaked on many businesses exposed to the foreign exchange markets.
GoldCore has seen significant increase in gold demand from investors in the first weeks of January 2015 as compared to the same period in 2014. Gold bullion volume amongst buyers was 3 (365%) times level last year, with particular emphasis being placed on safe secure storage vaults in Zurich and Hong Kong and Singapore.
On Thursday the SNB unpegged its currency from the euro without warning. The peg was put in place three years ago during the height of the euro crisis to prevent the Swiss franc from rising too much relative to its EU neighbours and damaging its exports.
The shock move caused the Swiss franc to rally almost 30% against the euro and 28% against the dollar. To maintain the peg, the SNB had been forced to accumulate around €500 billion leaving it very vulnerable to a euro devaluation.
It would seem that the move was not coordinated with the ECB or the Fed and may be endemic of a new low phase in global central bank communications. Many times throughout the financial crisis central banks have coordinated efforts to stabilise market volatility and to manage stimulus programs in concert.
The SNB shock announcement seems to have happened in isolation and could mark the start of a far less accommodative stance by national central banks. This is not surprising as with a strong dollar, the U.S. is able to reduce the costs to foreign markets of its goods and services, thereby producing a massive competitive advantage. Now that the euro is going to start debasing itself too, it is natural that the Swiss also abandon a peg which is about to become indefensible. The question “Who next?” will break ranks. Currency wars and related volatility are now in full swing.
According to Bloomberg, Citigroup, the largest currency dealer globally, lost around $150 million on the move. Deutsche bank also lost $150 million and Barclays are reported to have incurred losses of €100 million.
Some funds and FX brokers and their customers were severely hit with funds closing and other businesses going under or getting bailed out by larger institutions.
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