The EUR/CHF currency pair, which expresses the value of the common currency (the euro) in terms of Swiss francs, was once quite an effective gauge of global risk sentiment for traders to monitor for signals. This was, and perhaps still is, because of the safe-haven characteristics of the Swiss franc, and the riskier nature of the euro.
Because of Switzerland's positive current account surplus (although the euro zone is not itself in a deficit in aggregate) and political stability, the Swiss franc has traditionally been viewed as an international 'safe haven' (a safe place for