Category Archive: Swiss Markets and News

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Investec
Investec is a distinctive Specialist Bank and Asset Manager. We provide a diverse range of financial products and services to a niche client base in three principal markets, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia, as well as certain other geographies. Investec’s strategic goals are motivated by the desire to develop an efficient and integrated business on an international scale through the active pursuit of clearly established core competencies in the group’s principal business areas.
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Switzerland most expensive in Europe, but not for everything says new study

2017-06-23

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2017-06-23

Few who have visited or lived in Switzerland will be particularly surprised to hear that Switzerland is the most expensive place in Europe. However the price differences are quite eye opening. The recently published Eurostat price level study ranks...

For the first time many Swiss commercial apprenticeship positions to be left vacant

2017-06-22

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2017-06-22

Normally commercial apprenticeship positions in Switzerland are snapped up nearly one year in advance. However this year many will be left vacant according to Zurich newspaper NZZ am Sonntag.

Swiss cities ranked among world’s most expensive

2017-06-22

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2017-06-22

Zurich, Geneva, and Bern are among the top ten most expensive cities in the world for expatriates, according to a survey by consulting company Mercer. Only three European cities remain in the top ten list, all of them in Switzerland. Zurich was ranked...

Traffic noise increases risks of heart illnesses and diabetes

2017-06-21

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2017-06-21

Traffic noise from cars, lorries, trains and planes can have negative health consequences, such as increased risk of heart-related illnesses and diabetes, according to a long-term study of the impact of noise pollution on the Swiss population....

Novartis chief cools on US after visa crackdown

2017-06-21

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2017-06-21

Novartis has rejected overtures from United States President Donald Trump to increase jobs in the US, citing work visa restrictions as a reason. In a newspaper interview, chief executive Joe Jimenez said Switzerland and Europe were more attractive for...

Swiss rail experiments with first-class upgrades

2017-06-20

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2017-06-20

Should second-class travellers be upgraded to first for less than cost-price?(KEYSTONE/Urs Flueeler) A trial project on Swiss trains has allowed passengers to enjoy cheap upgrades while relieving congestion in crowded carriages....

New Actelion CEO feels adrenaline rush

2017-06-20

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2017-06-20

The American pharmaceutical multinational, which operates more than 250 companies and paid $30 billion to take over the relatively small Actelion, put Jane Griffiths of Britain in charge of running its newest Swiss acquisition.

Concern over pesticides in drinking supplies

2017-06-19

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2017-06-19

Higher-than-normal levels of pesticides have been found in 20% of the nation’s drinking water supplies from groundwater, prompting industry calls for tougher action to cut the costs of treating the water.class='lead-text'>A fifth of the samples seen in...

UberPop drivers in Zurich operating outside the law

2017-06-18

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2017-06-18

UberPop drivers who do not hold an official professional taxi licence are operating illegally, according to the government in Zurich. They need to get a permit or risk facing punishment. Even if they readily meet the conditions set by Uber – having a...

Parking clampdown in Zurich yields windfall

2017-06-18

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2017-06-18

Traffic police issued 21% more parking tickets in Zurich last year as the city dropped its ten-minute grace period for tardy motorists. The policy change was largely responsible for a CHF3.3 million ($3.4 million) penalty bonus that seems to have taken...

Swiss remain top of world innovation ranking

2017-06-17

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2017-06-17

Switzerland is the leading nation for innovation for the seventh year in a row, according to the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The other countries in the top five for 2017 were Sweden, the Netherlands, the United States...

Property prices fall in Swiss resorts but climb elsewhere, says UBS report

2017-06-17

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2017-06-17

St. Moritz
A real estate report by the bank UBS, which looks at 25 top resorts in Switzerland, Austria, France and Italy, shows vacation home price drops across Switzerland. These price falls contrast with price rises in resorts in Austria, France and Italy.

Swiss state pension fund stops investing in arms firms

2017-06-16

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2017-06-16

The leading Swiss state pension fund, Publica, has announced that it plans to disinvest from five weapons companies. This follows a national campaign by a responsible investment pension group to blacklist 15 international arms firms.

Swiss holiday homes becoming cheaper to buy

2017-06-14

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2017-06-14

The cost of owning a holiday home in the Swiss Alps has declined appreciably in many towns and villages in the last five years. The biggest falls in property prices have been observed in the last 12 months, according to UBS bank researchers. Prices...

Bombardier to downsize Swiss operations

2017-06-13

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2017-06-13

Canadian plane-maker Bombardier will cut about 650 jobs in Switzerland by the end of 2018, the largest Swiss trade union said on Thursday. The job cuts, which include almost 500 temporary postings, will come from Bombardier facilities in Villeneuve and...

Renewed debate over banking laws for expats

2017-06-12

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2017-06-12

New efforts are underway in parliament to ensure that the Swiss abroad can keep banking and other aspects of a financial life in Switzerland. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, an increasing number of Swiss citizens in other countries have been...

Biking still faces uphill battle in Switzerland

2017-06-11

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2017-06-11

As the bicycle celebrates its 200th year, advocacy group Pro Velo Switzerland says there is still a lot of unfulfilled potential when it comes to Switzerland’s use of the two-wheeled mode of transport.On June 12, 1817, a German aristocrat named Karl...

Switzerland signs up to corporate tax dodging remedy

2017-06-11

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2017-06-11

Switzerland has officially agreed to a raft of measures to combat the tax avoidance tricks of multinational companies. More than 100 countries have pledged to tackle the so-called base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) shenanigans. Huge companies,...

Few tenants take advantage of rent controls

2017-06-10

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2017-06-10

Anyone who rents a home in Switzerland (more than 60% of households) could qualify for a rent reduction after the Federal Housing Office reduced the reference rate on June 1. However, not everyone bothers to ask, and not all those who do get a positive...

Swiss government moves a step closer to axing capital withdrawals from pensions

2017-06-09

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2017-06-09

Savings
Swiss pensions have three parts. The first is a standard payment based on the number of years you have paid social security taxes (AVS / AHV). The second (2nd pillar) is based on a personal pot of money built up from compulsory salary deductions. And...
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