Category Archive: 3) Swiss Markets and News

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Switzerland still competitive despite US tax reforms, says economics minister

Swiss Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann says he does not think sweeping US tax reforms will drive American firms from Switzerland. In an interview with the Schweiz am Wochenende newspaper on Saturday, he said Switzerland also has competitive advantages for companies.

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New poll on vote to axe Swiss broadcast fee suggests rejection

A poll run by the media group Tamedia shows a clear majority in favour of rejecting the initiative, dubbed “No Billag”, which aims to end Switzerland’s broadcasting fee. This poll follows one done in December 2017, which showed a majority in favour of the initiative.

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WEF 2018: Trumps Ankunft in Davos

cash verfolgte mit Martin Naville, Direktor der Schweizerisch-Amerikanischen Handelskammer, die Ankunft von US-Präsident Donald Trump am Strassenrand in Davos. Im Video sagt Naville, was er von Trump in Davos erwartet.

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Switzerland ranked second-most ‘globalised’ nation

Switzerland is the second-most globalised country in the world after the Netherlands, according to the latest edition of an index prepared by the University of Zurich. The Alpine nation has moved up from fifth place. The index prepared by the KOF Swiss Economic Instituteexternal link tracks countries’ levels of globalisation across politics, economics, and society. The current edition uses data up to and including the year 2015.

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Tax amnesty programme turns up billions in undeclared assets

According to the results of a survey published Sunday in the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, CHF31.7 billion ($32.9 billion) in undeclared assets have been reported to tax authorities in Switzerland over the last eight years.

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Cameron van der Burgh: The Man behind the Medals

When multi Olympic medalist Cameron van der Burgh approached #Investec for sponsorship he was only 21 years old. Over almost a decade Cameron has broken two world records and become a South African swimming icon. This is a look at the man behind the medals. More on Out of the Ordinary #InvestecSponsorships http://bit.ly/2BolmxR

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Budget busting burgers – Swiss franc still the most overvalued

The Economist has just published its January 2018 Big Mac index, a light-hearted measure of whether currencies are under or overvalued. The underlying assumption is that a Big Mac is the same whether bought in Kiev or Chur, so any price difference must be due to the exchange rate.

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Swiss fact: health insurance premiums cover only 37percent of Swiss healthcare costs

Figures published in 2017 show that only 37% of Swiss healthcare costs were covered by basic compulsory health insurance premiums. The remaining cost was covered by the government (20%), accident and social insurance (10%), private complementary health insurance (7%), charity (1%) and out-of-pocket spending by individuals (26%).

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Swiss banks benefit from exchange rates, study finds

A study of over 40 Swiss finance institutions has revealed ‘striking’ differences in exchange rates for banknotes and currencies as well as the addition of hefty mark-ups and fees. Online banking and insurance comparison service moneyland.ch examined the exchange rates for euros, dollars, pounds, Swedish krona and Thai baht over the course of their six-day analysis, the results of which were released Wednesday.

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Alois Zwinggi, Geschäftsleitungsmitglied WEF

Am Vorabend der Eröffnung des WEF 2018 steht noch immer nicht fest, ob US-Präsident Donald Trump in Davos erscheinen wird. WEF-Geschäftsleitungsmitglied Alois Zwinggi ist im Interview mit cash aber zuversichtlich.

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Swiss ski resorts struggle under the weight of snow

The Alpine village of Zermat is under siege – not from tourists, but from the snow. And several other resorts have been cut off because there’s too much of the white stuff. (SRF/swissinfo,ch) — swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide …

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Nestlé to move chocolate research from Switzerland to UK

The Swiss food giant Nestlé is transfering its chocolate research centre from Broc in canton Fribourg to York in the north of England. Some 25 jobs are affected but the existing chocolate factory in the Swiss town is not threatened.

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Swiss authorities to consider blockchain supervision

The federal authorities have set up a special working group to look into how to properly oversee blockchain technologies and initial coin offerings (ICO). The Swiss taskforce is set to report back by the end of 2018. The State Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) announced on Thursday that it had established a blockchain/ICO working group to review the legal framework and to identify any need for action alongside the Federal Office...

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Swiss rents could fall 10%, says UBS

In a report published today entitled: rents losing altitude, UBS says asking rents for apartments will probably drop by up to 10% over the next three years. Competition in the rental market is getting even fiercer. By mid-2017, 2.4% of all rental apartments were vacant. This level was last exceeded in 1998, when 2.8% of rental apartments stood empty, says the bank.

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Switzerland stays attractive for companies and top earners

Switzerland remains an attractive tax destination for both companies and top earners in 2017, according to a survey of major global business locations published on Wednesday. But it warned planned US tax reform will increase competition.

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Marc Steinkat, CEO Commerzbank Schweiz

Trotz einiger Aufhellungstendenzen in der Branche rechnet Marc Steinkat, CEO der Commerzbank Schweiz, mit einem weiterhin anspruchsvollen Umfeld in der Schweizer Bankenlandschaft, wie er im cash-Video-Interview sagt.

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Jobless in Switzerland need more education, say social groups

Two leading Swiss organisations for social action and further education have called for big investment in training opportunities for the unemployed. At a press conference on Monday in Bern, the Swiss Conference of Social Institutions and the Swiss Federation for Further Education called on the state to invest in a schemeexternal link that they say could send 75,000 unemployed back into the job market.

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Swiss fact: nearly 50 percent of Swiss GDP comes from 4 cantons

Switzerland is made up of 26 cantons – technically six are half cantons1 – each with its own distinct taxes, education system, hospitals and government. Land area varies significantly, from 37 sq/km Basel-Stadt to 7,105 sq/km Graubünden.

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Swiss franc could hit 1.22 by year end, according to economists

According to Le Matin, economists at Swiss Life think the rise of the Swiss franc could be over and predict it will weaken to 1.22 to the euro by the end of the year. At the same time they point to risks that could send the currency in the opposite direction, such as the election in Italy, Brexit negotiations and uncertainty surrounding government in Germany.

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Swiss inheritance wealth doubles in last 20 years

The Swiss are passing on more inheritance wealth to family, friends and other beneficiaries than ever before - the CHF63 billion ($65 billion) bequeathed in 2015 is double that of 20 years ago, according to the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.

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