Investors’ desire for safe havens such as gold pushed an exchange traded fund tracking the Swiss franc to a new all-time record on Monday.
CurrencyShares Swiss Franc Trust (NYSEArca: FXF) was up 1.5% in midday trading. The ETF tracks the movement of the franc against the U.S. dollar, and was up nearly 14% year to date heading into Monday’s trading. The $1 billion ETF maintains an interest-bearing deposit account denominated in Swiss francs.
The franc is a traditional safe haven during times of European financial stress and has also benefited from a weaker U.S. dollar. [ETF Spotlight: Swiss Franc]
Currently, there are no ETFs that track the franc’s movement against the euro.
Although gold and the Swiss franc are seen as safe havens, implied volatility in the Swiss franc-euro cross has spiked in recent months compared with the precious metal. FT Alphaville reported Monday. The two volatilities had been tracking each other closely before the recent break, according to the report.