Saying the US dollar had a good week even though it lost 18.5% against the Swiss franc may be a bit like the old joke about asking Mrs. Lincoln, “besides that how was the play?”
The Swiss National Central Bank’s unexpected decision to abandon it cap will be a day recorded in foreign exchange history, ranking up there, with Nixon’s closing of the gold window and the UK leaving the ERM. In all three cases, officials balked at the costs/risks of pursuing their national strategies.