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The John Batchelor Show

HEADLINE: Lessons from the Swiss National Bank: Risk-Taking, Exchange Rates, and Fiscal Responsibility GUEST NAME: John Cochrane SUMMARY: Economist John Cochrane analyzes the Swiss National Bank (SNB), noting it differs greatly from the US Federal Reserve

The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor

Society & Culture, Arts, News, Books

4.52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

HEADLINE: Lessons from the Swiss National Bank: Risk-Taking, Exchange Rates, and Fiscal Responsibility GUEST NAME: John Cochrane SUMMARY: Economist John Cochrane analyzes the Swiss National Bank (SNB), noting it differs greatly from the US Federal Reserve by investing heavily in foreign stocks and bonds to manage the Swiss franc's exchange rate. The SNB's massive balance sheet carries risks accepted by Swiss taxpayers and the Cantons. Switzerland, being fiscally responsible (running no budget deficits), finds central banking easier. Cochrane advises that the US Fed should not be buying stocks or venturing into fiscal policy.

1890 SWISS

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:24.0

This is CBS, I on the world. I'm John Batchel. I welcome my colleague John Cochran.

0:29.9

He is at the Hoover Institution in Stanford campus. He's just back from Switzerland, however,

0:35.4

and his blog, the Substack blog, Grumpy Economist, is a lesson in

0:40.6

Swiss risk-taking, if I understand correctly. The Swiss franc is highly desirable by

0:47.8

everyone in the world. But that's not the risk. The risk is the Swiss Central Bank,

0:53.1

which actually invests in equities along with other things. I'm not the risk. The risk is the Swiss Central Bank, which actually invests in equities along

0:57.0

with other things. I didn't know central banks did such a thing. Stocks go up and down. John,

1:03.2

a very good evening to you. The Swiss Central Bank is very different animal from the Federal Reserve

1:10.8

Bank that I've learned to watch in America.

1:14.6

Is that generally accepted by you, Cognacente, you economists, these are different creatures?

1:19.7

Good evening to you.

1:21.3

Good evening, yes. Central banks are different around the world.

1:24.8

They do very different things.

1:26.1

And as we think about the Fed and its independence

1:28.7

and what it should do, I think it's important to travel around a bit and see how things are

...

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