Even over the next few years, while there are significant downside risks relating to the fiscal cliff and the eurozone, it is possible that the recovery could turn out stronger than expected. The underlying process of balance sheet repair is considerably advanced, housing is recovering and, as that occurs, our newly recalibrated monetary policy could gain additional traction. Thus, if uncertainties about the U.S. fiscal path and the future of the eurozone were resolved in a constructive manner, growth could pick up more vigorously than anticipated. 5  8  http://www.people-press.org/2011/11/03/section-6-generations-and-entitlements/  BIS central bankers’ speeches  This would be a wonderful outcome. The September FOMC statement noted: the Committee expects “that a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the recovery strengthens”. Consistent with this, if we were to see some good news on growth I would not expect us to respond in a hasty manner. Only as we became confident that the recovery was securely established, would I expect our monetary policy stance to evolve to ensure that it remained appropriate to achievement of our objective: maximum sustainable employment in the context of price stability. Thank you for your kind attention. I would welcome a few questions.
Page 3/5  Our country has one of the most solid currencies in the world, namely the Swiss franc. No other currency has retained its value so well since the outbreak of the First World War. Nor has any other country kept average inflation lower than Switzerland. But there is another side to this coin. In times of high uncertainty, the Swiss franc tends to appreciate strongly, putting the economy under pressure and jeopardising price stability. We have witnessed this again recently. As a result, the SNB has been faced with the challenge of using its monetary policy to guarantee price stability in Switzerland. With the negative interest rate and our willingness to intervene in the foreign exchange market as necessary, we are able to counteract the attractiveness of Swiss franc investments. Our goal here is always to ensure appropriate monetary conditions in Switzerland. In general, an overvalued Swiss franc can pose a problem for the financial industry too. This is especially true for the important business of wealth management, where returns mainly accrue in foreign currencies, while costs are generally incurred in Swiss francs. We are, of course, also aware of the challenge that the negative interest rate poses to the financial sector. We have therefore reduced the burden it places on the Swiss banking system to the level necessary for the implementation of monetary policy. Once again, I must also stress that the low interest rate environment is a global phenomenon with structural causes. This is unfortunately not something that Switzerland can escape.