By John Revill

ZURICH (Reuters) – The Swiss Nationwide Financial institution repeated on Monday its pledge to intervene on the forex markets to curb an increase within the franc after safe-haven inflows pushed by the Ukraine battle briefly pushed the forex above parity with the euro.

The euro/franc alternate charge fell to 0.9910 in Asia in a single day, as traders sought refuge within the Swiss forex. The valuation is the very best degree for the franc since January 2015 when the Swiss central financial institution scrapped its peg to the euro.

“The Swiss franc is at the moment wanted as a refuge forex, together with the U.S. greenback and the yen,” the central financial institution stated in an announcement.

“The Swiss franc continues to be extremely valued,” it added. “The SNB stays ready to intervene within the international alternate market if mandatory.”

The verbal intervention is an uncommon transfer by the central financial institution, which final gave a separate assertion indicating its issues concerning the franc’s appreciation after Britain voted to go away the European Union in 2016.

“Whereas the SNB has been somewhat relaxed concerning the appreciation of the Swiss franc within the final months … a drop under parity might change its perspective as a result of parity can be a psychologically necessary threshold,” stated UBS economist Alessandro Bee.

The SNB stated the elevated valuation of the franc, which is a hazard for Switzerland’s export-dominated financial system, additionally recognised the inflation differentials between Switzerland and different nations.

Swiss shopper worth inflation rose to a higher-than-expected 2.2% in February, its highest degree since 2008 however effectively under the 5.8% degree within the neighbouring euro zone, Switzerland’s largest export market.

The SNB on Monday stated it stated it regarded on the general forex scenario somewhat than particular person forex pairs.

Sight deposit information, a proxy for the SNB’s international forex purchases, confirmed an increase of simply 500 million francs final week, indicating a small quantity of intervention.

“I count on the SNB to struggle this appreciation solely reasonably – as a result of it can’t change the atmosphere for traders that simply search security,” stated J. Safra Sarasin economist Karsten Junius.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which it calls a “particular operation” has launched uncertainties as the worldwide financial system seems to be to maneuver in the direction of financial coverage normalisation, SNB Governing Board Member Andrea Maechler stated in an interview printed on Saturday.

Her feedback indicated the disaster had delayed SNB plans to retreat from destructive rates of interest and international forex purchases which have been the muse of its expansive method.

The central financial institution offers its subsequent financial coverage replace on March 24.