Category Archive: 3) 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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How does asylum work in Switzerland

2020-05-22

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Switzerland has a humanitarian tradition and deals with relatively more asylum requests than other European countries, given the size of the population. Over 14,000 applications were submitted in 2019 and about a third of these people were admitted provisionally. However, migrants heading for Europe often prefer to go to neighbouring Germany and France. The Swiss …

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Swiss maker of clean aviation fuel gets boost from Lufthansa

2020-05-22

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2020-05-22

The Lufthansa Group has entered a partnership with the Swiss solar fuel developer Synhelion. The Swiss start-up is working to produce a fuel that emits 50% less CO2 by 2022 and plans to market a 100% renewable fuel in 2030.

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Swiss finance minister concerned about Covid-19 debt crisis in Europe

2020-05-21

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2020-05-21

Ueli Maurer has warned that the financial crisis following Covid-19 and the resulting instability in Europe are a danger for Switzerland. In an interview with public broadcaster RTS on Tuesday, he said that he is concerned about the repercussions on Switzerland of a possible debt crisis in certain countries, especially Italy.

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EasyJet customer data hacked

2020-05-21

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2020-05-21

Yesterday, EasyJet announced that a “highly sophisticated” cyber-attack had affected around 9 million customers. The company said its “investigation found that the email address and travel details of approximately 9 million customers were accessed. These affected customers will be contacted in the next few days. If you are not contacted then your information has not been accessed.”  

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5G: The next wave of tech disruption

2020-05-20

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While consumers are excited about the lightning-fast internet 5G will bring, it’s within companies that the real revolution will happen. From automated supply chains and professional service robots to global private high-speed networks 5G will enable – and require – enterprises to reimagine how they do business. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/2X9O42s) on 15 April 2020.

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5G: The next wave of tech disruption

2020-05-20

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While consumers are excited about the lightning-fast internet 5G will bring, it’s within companies that the real revolution will happen. From automated supply chains and professional service robots to global private high-speed networks 5G will enable – and require – enterprises to reimagine how they do business. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/2X9O42s) on 15 April 2020.

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Scaling reading through tech

2020-05-20

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Thousands of youngsters from across the country now have access to reading materials on their phones – a big step to improving literacy in book poor South Africa. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/2XaDpVc) on 20 November 2019.

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Making the grade in education

2020-05-20

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While access to primary education in South Africa is almost universal, the quality of schooling is significantly lacking. Teacher competency and early foundation literacy are two of the most critical issues that need to be addressed to ensure the success of an entire generation. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/3dZATHT) on 18 …

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How big data is changing classrooms in SA

2020-05-20

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Data collection and analysis is helping improve the education of millions of South African learners. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/3e7uBGx) on 18 November 2019.

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5G: The next wave of tech disruption

2020-05-20

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While consumers are excited about the lightning-fast internet 5G will bring, it’s within companies that the real revolution will happen. From automated supply chains and professional service robots to global private high-speed networks 5G will enable – and require – enterprises to reimagine how they do business. This video was originally published on Investec Focus …

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Digital education creating opportunities in rural SA

2020-05-20

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In the dusty villages of rural Mpumalanga, students are learning about coding, robotics and sustainability to prepare themselves for the digital marketplace of the future. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/2X84vw2) on 18 November 2019.

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100MW boost for SA electricity grid

2020-05-20

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South Africa’s largest concentrated solar power plant is set to light up 179,000 households and save six million tonnes of CO2 emissions. This video was originally published on Investec Focus (https://invest.ec/2AN4juR) on 17 April 2019.

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Italy set to reopen borders with Switzerland from 3 June 2020

2020-05-20

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2020-05-20

Italy is preparing to reopen its borders with the rest of Europe, according to the newspaper La Repubblica. A draft law on new rules was published on 15 May 2020 by the Italian Council of Ministers. It provides for the possibility of allowing entry to Italy from 3 June 2020 without requiring those arriving from certain countries to quarantine for 14 days. The countries include EU nations and Schengen members, including Switzerland and Monaco.

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National Bank snubs calls for more coronavirus money

2020-05-18

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2020-05-18

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has dismissed demands to increase its payout to help the economy cope with the costs of the coronavirus pandemic. Governing board member Andréa Maechler an additional financial contribution would counteract monetary policy.

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Minister calls for extra funds for Swiss unemployment system

2020-05-18

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2020-05-18

Economics Minister Guy Parmelin says it is crucial to end the lockdown and prevent a collapse of the unemployment scheme to ensure Switzerland’s economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis. Parmelin said the government would decide on an injection of additional funds into the state unemployment scheme at one of its next meetings.

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‘Clean and safe’ image could boost Swiss tourism

2020-05-17

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2020-05-17

Switzerland Tourism has welcomed next month’s re-opening of borders with France, Germany and Austria. It believes the country’s reputation for cleanliness and tidiness could be a selling point once the Covid-19 pandemic dies down.

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Swiss rank high in energy index

2020-05-17

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2020-05-17

Switzerland has placed second in a global index comparing current energy systems and readiness for the transition to cleaner sources. In its new Energy Transition Indexexternal link, the World Economic Forum (WEF) identifies the coronavirus pandemic as a serious threat to the switch to renewable energies.

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Swiss government reveals more on Covid-19 tracing app

2020-05-16

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2020-05-16

On 13 May 2020, Switzerland’s government published more information on the Swiss Proximity Tracing App (Swiss PT), an app designed to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Developed by teams at EPFL and ETHZ, the app uses Bluetooth to detect when your phone comes within two metres of another phone or device with the app. It then records the contact as an anonymous key and the duration of contact, flagging any close contact longer than 15 minutes.

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Tyres and litterbugs spread plastic across Switzerland

2020-05-16

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2020-05-16

Each year some 14,000 tonnes of plastic waste end up in the Swiss environment. A federally commissioned analysis identifies two main culprits: tyre abrasion (around 8,000 tonnes) and littering (around 2,700 tonnes).

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Price watchdog criticises cost of becoming Swiss

2020-05-15

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2020-05-15

Naturalisation fees vary among Switzerland’s 26 cantons. This has caught the eye of the federal price watchdog, who doubts that the fees fall within the legal framework. The law on Swiss citizenship stipulates that “the fees may not amount to more than is required to cover costs”. But for price watchdog Stefan Meierhans this is “more than questionable”, as he writes in his newsletter on Thursday. 

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