MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Switzerland central bank announces 51bn dollars loss in six months
The central bank warned it might not be able to share any profits with the government this year if results did not improve in the second half of 2015. Switzerland's central bank announced Friday it had suffered a loss of 50.1 billion francs ($51 billion, 47 billion Euros) in the first half of the year, down on the 16.1 billion francs in profit logged for the same period a year earlier.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) said the poor performance was primarily due to its January 15 decision to abandon the minimum rate of 1.20 francs to a Euro, leading to losses on its foreign currency assets. Scrapping that cap amounted for 47.2 billion francs in losses, the lender explained, with another 3.2 billion francs lost on its gold reserves due to falling prices for the precious metal.
The central bank warned it might not be able to share any profits with the nation's government this year if results did not improve in the second half of 2015.
But despite the massive loss incurred in the first six months of the year, the SNB indicated the situation would not have to be equally dismal for the rest of 2015.
It pointed to strong fluctuations in its financial results depending largely on developments in the gold, foreign exchange and capital markets.
”Only provisional conclusions are possible as regards the annual result, the bank said in a statement.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsSo in reality it has lost 67.1 Bn francs!
Aug 03rd, 2015 - 01:06 pm 0Brilliant performance, bonuses all round.
Stunning decision and timing regarding the de-coupling!
Dear me, I bet nobody has resigned over this.
Why would anyone resign over the simple fact, that a high exchange rate reduces the value of foreign currency?
Aug 03rd, 2015 - 02:52 pm 0The bank hasn't lost money except when you calculate the value in Swiss francs. Their dollars, euros, etc. has the same external value.
@ 2 Don Alberto
Aug 03rd, 2015 - 05:44 pm 0Try telling that to the people who trusted the bank to hold the link in currencies and lost their shirt when it was suddenly removed.
The Daily Telegraph Finance were scathing at the Swiss.
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