The Swiss National Bank's foreign exchange reserves hit 71 percent of annual output in August, with the pace of the rise slowing in a sign that less central bank intervention was needed to enforce its cap of 1.20 per euro on the safe-haven franc. The SNB had 418.430 billion Swiss francs in reserves as of the end of August, compared with a revised 408.605 billion in July, according to preliminary data provided to the International Monetary Fund on Friday. The markets have grown less worried in recent weeks about the threat of the euro zone breaking up, on hopes the European Central Bank will take steps to lower ... (full story)