QUOTE(Selling up @ Feb 16 2007, 06:06 PM) [snapback]555429[/snapback]
I've only recently started looking at the possibility of foreign currencies as an inflation hedge.
I'm interested in the Swiss Franc. Reasoning: I have cash and I think housing bubbles lead to a risk of inflation. This puts the UK at risk so logically a currency from a country where they don't have a housing bubble is likely to be a good place to shelter.
I understand that Swiss house prices hardly moved from 2001-4. Not sure whether they have since. The swiss franc, at around £0.41, is below what I calculate to be its median sterling price for the last 17 years (quick excel calculation puts its median at £.44)
My thought is to keep 70% in sterling deposits and UK index-linked gilts, 15% in gold and 15% in francs. Anyone have any comments?
I thought along similar lines: I read somewhere that (unlike most other major currencies) the Swiss Franc money supply is expanding at far less than 10% (about 4% I believe but I can't remember where I read it).
Historically, the Swiss Franc has always been a good hedge against inflation, and, for this reason and IIRC, there has always been a good correlation between the Swiss Franc and the price of gold, even after they abandoned their gold standard.
from
WikipediaQUOTE
The Swiss franc has historically been considered a safe haven currency with virtually zero inflation and a legal requirement that a minimum 40% is backed by gold reserves. However this link to gold, which dates from the 1920s, was terminated on 1 May 2000 following an amendment to the Swiss Constitution.
The following link might help with regards to opening an account in Switzerland. Personally, it puts me off a bit that they seem to take 35% tax out of your interest but I'll have to look into this a bit more thoroughly.
http://www.swissbanking.org/en/home/dossier-bankkunden.htm