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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Switzerland excels at attracting talent, but can do better

2019-11-20

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2019-11-20

For the sixth consecutive year, Switzerland clinched the top spot in the annual global ranking of the Lausanne-based IMD business school. The 2019 edition of the IMD World Talent Ranking ranked Switzerland highly in the three areas assessed. It came first in appeal, second in investment and development and second in readiness. Denmark, Sweden, Austria and Luxembourg rounded out the top five.

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Julius Bär takes CHF99 million hit on ailing Italian unit

2019-11-20

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2019-11-20

Swiss wealth manager Julius Bär has downgraded its expectations for attracting new assets from rich clients and announced a CHF99 million ($100 million) write-down on its troubled Italian subsidiary Kairos. Julius Bär issued the warning on Tuesday, less than three months into the tenure of new CEO Philipp Rickenbacher.

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How breast cancer changed me

2019-11-19

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Digital transformation strategist Yavi Madurai was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28. Here’s her inspirational story about beating all the odds and how the disease transformed her for the better. Listen to the podcast here: https://invest.ec/2CUzYIo

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Things the UN does (that you might not know about)

2019-11-19

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2019-11-19

What did the United Nations ever do for us? At the risk of a bit of cliched riffing on that famous scene in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, this month’s column is going to take a look at things the UN does that you may not know about. And one thing in particular: promoting fair and equitable access to the internet.

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Richard Branson on entrepreneurship in turbulent times

2019-11-19

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Sir Richard Branson spoke to sme.africa founder Marnus Broodryk about how to succeed as a business in difficult economic times. The pair spoke backstage at Virgin Atlantic’s #BusinessIsAnAdventure event, hosted in partnership with Investec. Find out more: https://invest.ec/33YEAJm Get more insights from the event here: https://invest.ec/33YEAJm

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Richard Branson on youth unemployment in South Africa

2019-11-19

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Marnus Broodryk talks to Sir Richard Branson, Investec’s Co-Founder Stephen Koseff and Youth Employment Service intern Khensani Mongwe about how to tackle youth unemployment in South Africa. Find out more: https://invest.ec/2r6XEXc The panel spoke backstage at Virgin Atlantic’s #BusinessIsAnAdventure event, hosted in partnership with Investec. Get more insights from the event here https://invest.ec/2r6XEXc

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Most Swiss prefer home grown eggs, meat and dairy

2019-11-19

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2019-11-19

Recently published statistics suggest most Swiss prefer home grown animal products. Three quarters (75%) of those surveyed said they preferred Swiss eggs and more than half preferred Swiss meat (51%) and dairy products (59%).

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Swiss retailers brace for ‘Black Friday’ sales as shoppers raise credit limits

2019-11-18

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2019-11-18

The busiest shopping day of the year in the United States has become big business in Switzerland. But, some worry about the risks of consumers falling into debt and the pressure the Black Friday “holiday” puts on employees and the postal service.

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Ageing population threatens Swiss prosperity, study warns

2019-11-17

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2019-11-17

Switzerland must do more to find employment options for older citizens and increase work productivity says the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco). If not, prosperity for all will decline as the population ages. The median age of the Swiss population has risen to 43 compared to 32 in 1970. By 2060 this will rise further to 48-years-old going by current fertility rates.

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World’s Ultra-Rich Preparing For Market Crash, UBS Warns

2019-11-16

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2019-11-16

S&P 500 Index, 2013-2021
A synchronized global slowdown, with no end in sight, has spooked some of the wealthiest investors around the world, according to a new survey from UBS Wealth Management, seen by Bloomberg. UBS polled wealthy investors, who are preparing for a significant stock market correction by the end of next year. 

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Additional funds set aside for transalpine rail transport 

2019-11-15

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2019-11-15

The Swiss government has decided to earmark CHF180 million ($182 million) as part of a package to promote the transfer of heavy-goods transport from road to rail. In its bill to parliament, the government foresees an extension of payments to transport companies using freight trains until 2026 and a decrease in so-called track access charges with CHF90 million each.

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Time limit to exchange old banknotes eliminated

2019-11-15

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2019-11-15

Banknotes as old as 1976 can soon be traded in at the national bank following a decision by the federal government to eliminate the 20-year time limit. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues a new series of banknotes every 15 to 20 years and removes the old notes from circulation. Six months later, the old notes don’t have a legal tender and therefore can’t be used as a means of payment.

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Telecom operator Sunrise to pay up for failed deal

2019-11-14

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2019-11-14

Following shareholder pushback, Swiss telecom operator Sunrise has cancelled the purchase contract for the cable network operator UPC, officially burying the controversial deal. This is another failed attempt to challenge industry leader Swisscom.

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Cross-border workers entering Switzerland set record in 2019

2019-11-13

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2019-11-13

The number of people from neighbouring countries commuting to Switzerland for work each day reached a record 325,000 this year. The increase was felt especially in cantons Ticino and Geneva. Following a slight drop in 2018, the Swiss job market is once again attracting cross-border workers in historically high numbers. Some 325,291 peopleexternal link entered the country each day in the third quarter of 2019, beating the previous record of 316,491...

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No Swiss citizenship for WEF founder Schwab, reports say

2019-11-13

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2019-11-13

World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab will not be receiving honorary Swiss citizenship, despite the idea having being mooted earlier this year. Such an honorary conferral of the passport has no basis in Swiss law, the Federal Justice Office announced on Tuesday, after it was contacted by the daily Südostschweiz newspaper.

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Billionaires’ club shrinks as economy wobbles

2019-11-12

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2019-11-12

The world lost 57 billionaires last year as economic woes and the unexpected strengthening of the US dollar wiped $388 billion (CHF386 billion) from their combined wealth. Switzerland had three fewer billionaires; the 33 who remain saw their bank accounts shrink by $16 billion.

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Billionaire Boom “Has Now Undergone A Natural Correction”

2019-11-11

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2019-11-11

Fifteen Years of asset growth, 2003-2018
Over the last five years ending in 2018, the billionaire boom created more billionaires than the world has ever seen. These financial elites saw their wealth increase by more than a third over the same period, but as soon as 2018 rolled around, the billionaire boom deflated, according to a new UBS/PwC Billionaires Report.

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French-speaking cantons biggest winners from next year’s fiscal transfers

2019-11-11

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2019-11-11

The amount of money paid by “rich” cantons to “poor” ones will rise by CHF 61 million to CHF 5.3 billion in 2020, according to a recent government press release. The only French-speaking canton paying will be Geneva. All of the rest will see the sums they receive rise compared to 2019. In 2020, Geneva will pay CHF 275 million, down slightly from the CHF 300 million it paid in 2019.

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More than 100 members of Extinction Rebellion convicted in Switzerland

2019-11-10

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2019-11-10

In September 2019, groups of people belonging to the group Extinction Rebellion blocked two road bridges in Lausanne. Local police cleared the bridges by removing, in some cases carrying, protesters away. On 7 November 2019, 117 of the people involved in the bridge protests were convicted and fined for breaking Switzerland’s penal code, according to RTS.

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Demobilising Swiss merchant navy to cost another CHF100 million

2019-11-09

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2019-11-09

Switzerland will incur a further CHF100 million ($101 million) loss as it continues to reduce its merchant shipping fleet. The ongoing bill for selling off ships and meeting their debt obligations has now risen to an estimated CHF300 million, the government has admitted.

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