Category Archive: 3.) Investec

Swiss supercomputer aims to make AI open to all

Much of the progress being made in AI is captured within private companies aiming to keep in to themselves in order to profit from it. Open AI, a project started as an open-source non-profit has morphed into a largely closed-source profit-maximising project increasingly integrated into the software company Microsoft.

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Investitionstipps für Anfänger: Praktische Ratschläge für den Einstieg

Investieren unterscheidet sich grundlegend vom bloßen Spekulieren oder dem Hoffen auf schnelle Gewinne, wie man sie vielleicht in einem Casino erwarten könnte. Es geht vielmehr darum, durchdachte und informierte Entscheidungen zu treffen, die auf einer langfristigen Perspektive und einem Verständnis des Marktes basieren. Für Neulinge in der Welt der Finanzen kann dies eine Herausforderung darstellen, …

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Swiss finance minister wins 2023 obfuscation award

Every year, investigativ.ch, an association of investigative journalists, bestows an award on the public figure it deems to have exercised the lowest levels of transparency during the year.

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Corruption report: nepotism and conflicts of interest should be Switzerland’s focus

The 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published on 31 January 2023, shows that most countries are failing to stop corruption. The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories around the world by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

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Swiss unemployment lowest in 20 years

On 9 January 2023, Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) published the latest figures for the Swiss labor market in 2022 showing unemployment at its lowest rate for 20 years.

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Switzerland’s worker shortage putting pressure on unemployed to change career

By international standards, unemployment payments are generous in Switzerland – typically 70% of salary. But they come with strict requirements for recipients to show they are engaging in actions deemed necessary to find work. With record numbers of unfilled jobs, pressure is now being put on some to change career, reported RTS.

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Swiss inflation stable in October

Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) remained stable in October 2022 compared with the previous month, reported Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week.

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Switzerland expects government surplus in 2022 and lower public debt from 2023

After a roughly CHF 40 billion blow to Swiss public finances due to the Covid pandemic, Switzerland’s financial outlook is beginning to look positive, according to a recent government press release.

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Vast majority of Swiss mums in paid work in 2021

In 2021, 82% of mothers in Switzerland were economically active, according to data published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week.

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More than 70% of Swiss homes heated by burning stuff

Statistics published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), show that 70.1% of homes in Switzerland are heated by burning either mazout (heating oil), gas or wood.

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Marked economic slowdown on horizon in Switzerland

On 20 September 2022, government forecasters announced downgraded expectations for GDP growth in Switzerland. A group of experts focused on predicting business cycles downgraded expected GDP growth to 2.0% in 2022 and to 1.1% in 2023.

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38% of Swiss speak more than one language at work

In many places one language is all that is required at work. In Switzerland, 37.7% of workers surveyed reported regularly using two or more languages at work, according to data published by the Federal Statistical Office on 6 September 2022.

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Swiss GDP growth jumps in 2021

Switzerland’s Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.2% in 2021, according to recently released data by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The increase follows a decrease of -2.4% in 2020, a year marking the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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No money likely from Swiss National Bank after large loss

Like most central banks the Swiss National Bank (SNB) is tasked with monetary stability. However, in the process it can inadvertently generate large profits and losses.

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Nearly 1 in 6 lives in a household with outstanding debts in Switzerland

Even before high inflation hit people’s pockets many Swiss households were over extended. In 2020, almost one in six residents lived in a household with debt arrears, according to data released this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

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Swiss debt enforcement offices aiding money laundering

In Switzerland, it is possible to pay delinquent debts with large sums of cash. Some criminals are using the loophole to launder money, reports Le Matin.

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Swiss franc worth more than the euro

This week, the Swiss franc rose to beyond parity with the euro as traders sought safe haven assets as concerns about risks to global growth grew.

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Swiss government prepares for electricity price shock

Switzerland’s leaders are concerned by the current volatility of electricity prices and have started planning for a potential disaster scenario, reported RTS. Photo by Pok Rie on Pexels.comThe war in Ukraine has impacted energy provision across Europe, said Swiss energy minister Simonetta Sommaruga on Thursday. Price movements have reached historical levels and could worsen if gas supplies from Russia stop. If the price of gas spikes, some...

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Swiss exports reach all-time high

Data published on 17 March 2022 showed a 15.4% jump in Swiss exports in February 2022. The sharp rise in exports when combined with a 2.9% fall in imports led to a monthly trade balance of CHF 5.7 million. This is the first time in history that Switzerland’s monthly trade balance has exceeded CHF 5 million.

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Prices of dairy products set to rise in Switzerland

Dairy prices are rising globally. Higher global prices are expected to trigger price rises in Switzerland as local dairy farmers follow the global trend, reported 20 Minutes. © Erix2005 | Dreamstime.comSince the beginning of the year, the price of a tonne of dried milk has risen by around 16% to US$ 4,503, according to the website Global Dairy Trade. Contracts dated March 2022 are priced slightly higher at US$ 4,510. Between 4 January and 15...

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