Stefan Gerlach
banner
sgerlach.bsky.social
Stefan Gerlach
@sgerlach.bsky.social
Chief Economist of EFG Bank in Zurich; ex-Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Ireland; ex-Executive Director, HKMA; ex-BIS and ex-Prof at Goethe University and Brandeis University. (Views expressed are my own.)

Substack: https://swissmacro.substack.com
Pinned
Markets still see 2% as the most likely ECB policy rate in 2026, but the ECB Watch Tool suggests it would not take much for a cut to 1.75% to become the central scenario.
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/quick-comm...
Quick comment: Will the ECB stay at 2%?
Markets appear not fully convinced
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Today I return to global monetary policy. Looking at 10 central banks, I show how the mean versus the median of interest rates helps predict future interest rate changes. The data suggest that further interest rate moves are now likely to be modest.

swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/back-to-gl...
Back to global monetary policy
Further easing looks likely to be slow and modest
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:23 AM
The Riksbank is looking for a new Deputy Governor. Central banks should advertise all senior positions — if the pool is restricted to insiders there can be no presumption that the best possible candidate is appointed.

www.riksbank.se/en-gb/press-...
Recruitment of new Executive Board member initiated
The General Council of the Riksbank has decided to begin a recruitment process for a new member of the Executive Board of the Riksbank. The General Council also
www.riksbank.se
October 24, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Yesterday the SNB released its first Summary of the discussion at its last monetary policy meeting. I was positively surprised and found it well done. Here is a post I wrote:

open.substack.com/pub/swissmac...
The SNB releases a meeting summary
A welcome step toward greater transparency in Swiss monetary policy
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Zürich
October 21, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Stephen Miran, the Fed’s newest governor, used his first speech to argue that the neutral rate has plunged after this year’s sharp shift in US economic policy. It is a striking claim — and it raises the obvious question: is he right?
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/governor-m...
Governor Miran’s first speech
Has the neutral rate fallen sharply?
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Pre-dinner walk
October 17, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Great -- what enthusiasm! youtu.be/AHio_rKk5tE?...
Exclusif : les premiers mots de Philippe Aghion, prix Nobel d’économie
YouTube video by franceinfo
youtu.be
October 16, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Some comments on a very interesting recent Bloomberg article on the upcoming ECB appointments:
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/bloomberg-...
Bloomberg on Upcoming Changes at the ECB
A major reshuffle ahead
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 6:26 AM
An interesting interview with Philippe Aghion.

youtu.be/PCJn36esiyw?...
Interview with Philippe Aghion, winner of the Frontiers of Knowledge Award winner in Economics
YouTube video by BBVA Foundation
youtu.be
October 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM
In today’s post, I look at the upcoming decision of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, MAS: swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/the-mas-at...
The MAS at the Crossroads
Decision finely balanced, but patience likely to prevail for now
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 4:14 AM
In today’s post, I look at Martin Schlegel’s excellent first year as SNB president.

swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/martin-sch...
Martin Schlegel’s First Year as SNB President
A promising start with hopes of more to come
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 3:02 AM
In today’s post, I look at annual inflation (the average monthly inflation rate over the past year) which is not very informative about current price pressures. By averaging across countries instead of over time we can get a better sense of current inflation.
open.substack.com/pub/swissmac...
Tracking Global Inflation
A cross-country approach to identifying turning points in inflation
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Paris
October 4, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Now at the SNB’s annual Karl Brunner Distinguished Lecture at the ETH Zurich. This year’s speaker is John Cochrane.
October 2, 2025 at 3:43 PM
A very interesting speech, given at @suomenpankki.fi yesterday. The highlight was President Lagarde’s discussion of why the impact of the US tariffs on the euro area has been less than expected.

on.ft.com/4gTJCNE Lagarde says ECB’s interest rates stance not ‘fixed’
Lagarde says ECB’s interest rates stance not ‘fixed’ as markets doubt further cuts
Central bank’s president stresses policymakers ready to act if ‘risks to inflation shift’
on.ft.com
October 1, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Today I attended a timely and thought-provoking conference hosted by @suomenpankki.fi on monetary policy, geopolitics and trade. Highlights included speeches by Governor @ollirehn.suomenpankki.fi, Fed Vice Chair Jefferson and ECB President Lagarde.
September 30, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Helsinki
September 30, 2025 at 8:34 AM
In today’s post I review an article on tariffs and monetary policy. Central banks should not look through tariff shocks but rather manage to decline in economic activity to the new equilibrium level.

swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/tariffs-an...
Tariffs and Monetary Policy
Why central banks should not simply “look through” tariff-driven inflation
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Pre-dinner walk
September 27, 2025 at 3:20 PM
A huge loss for the Riksbank — Anna Breman is leaving to be governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

www.riksbank.se/en-gb/press-...
Anna Breman is leaving the Riksbank
Read more on the Riksbank’s website.
www.riksbank.se
September 24, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Sandymount (Dublin)
September 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
The upcoming Riksbank decision is finely balanced, with a tilt towards no change. It will hinge on two factors. First, how confident the Riksbank is that inflation will decline? Second, how worried it is about the outlook for economic activity?
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com/p/riksbank-p...
Riksbank Preview: Weak Growth Tilts Decision Toward a Cut
September decision hinges on how the Bank weighs recent data
swissmacroandhistory.substack.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:54 AM