ZURICH, Jan 9Reuters The Swiss National Bank posted an annual loss of 132 billion Swiss francs 143 billion in 2022, it said on Monday, the biggest in its 115year history as falling stock and fixedincome markets hit the value of its share and bond portfolio.

A strengthening Swiss franc also had a negative impact.

Monday39;s provisional figure, which marked a reverse from a 26 billion franc profit in 2021, was far bigger than the previous record loss of 23 billion francs chalked up in 2015. It is equivalent to slightly more than the annual GDP of Morocco.

The SNB will release detailed annual figures on March 6.

It made a loss of 131 billion francs from its foreign currency positions the more than 800 billion francs in stocks and bonds it bought during a long campaign to weaken the Swiss franc.

Global stock markets weakened and bond prices fell last year as central banks around the world, including the SNB, hiked interest rates to combat inflation.

The strong Swiss franc it rose above parity versus against the euro in July led to exchange raterelated losses.

The only positive was the SNB39;s gold holdings which stood at 1,040 tonnes at the end of 2021 and gained 400 million francs in value during 2022.

The 2022 loss meant the central bank will not make its usual payout to the Swiss central and regional governments, it said. Last year the SNB paid out 6 billion francs.

Still, the loss is unlikely to have an impact on SNB policy. It hiked interest rates three times…