XAUCHF Exchange Rate

The Swiss National Bank raised the minimum reserve requirement for domestic banks, which is set to reduce its payout. The SNB lifted the minimum reserve ratio to 4 percent from 2.5 percent. The bank also made changes to how it calculates the minimum reserve requirements.

The Swiss National Bank made a surprise interest rate cut on Thursday and became the first major central bank to ease the policy in the current cycle as the fight against inflation over the last two and a half years has been effective. The SNB unexpectedly lowered the policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.5 percent. Markets had expected the bank to keep the rate unchanged.

The Swiss National Bank kept its benchmark rate unchanged on Thursday and turned more dovish as it lowered the inflation forecast and altered the policy stance on forex interventions. The SNB Governing Board, chaired by Thomas Jordan, decided to hold the policy rate at 1.75 percent. The SNB policy rate has been raised by a cumulative 2.5 percentage points since June 2022.

The Swiss economy is set to register well below average growth in 2024 as the weaker momentum in the euro area hurts Swiss exports and higher financing cost curbs investment, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, or SECO, said Wednesday. In the economic forecast, the expert group of the SECO said gross domestic product will grow 1.3 percent this year.