Category Archive: 3.) Investec

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GB Hockey: new squad, same hunger.

2018-03-27

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Team GB’s gold medal-winning women’s hockey team changed their sport. But the pursuit of more success drove them to renew the squad. Maintaining that hunger is key to winning in the future. #TogetherAsOne https://invest.ec/2Lv3qHG

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What won’t change In your business?

2018-03-27

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By focusing on client value, you can align with trends and technology to deliver that value, says digital guru David Duarte at #BusinessMatters In a world of exponentially growing technology, it’s hard to know where to start your company’s digital transformation journey. Speaking at a recent Investec Cash Investment’s #BusinessMatters event in Johannesburg, David Duarte, …

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Swiss government set to remove ‘mariage tax penalty’

2018-03-26

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2018-03-26

Marriage Tax Switzerland
In Switzerland, married couples file one combined tax return. Because tax rates rise in line with income it means that second incomes of married couples are taxed at a higher rate than those of single cohabitating ones. Those campaigning to have this changed argue that it is unfair and acts as a disincentive for second income earners.

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Raising Switzerland’s retirement age – like death and taxes

2018-03-23

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2018-03-23

Retirement Switzerland
Last week, State Councillor Peter Hegglin (PDC/CVP) withdrew his motion demanding Switzerland’s retirement age automatically rise with life expectancy. He argues that Switzerland urgently needs to find a way to ensure the financial health of its pension system and raising the retirement age is the main way to do this.

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Geneva’s mega apartment project now underway – 1,000 apartments and 2,500 jobs

2018-03-22

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2018-03-22

Last week, work started on a project to construct 1,000 apartments in Geneva. The project known as the Quartier de l’Etang will unfold over an 11 hectare site in Vernier, not far from Geneva airport. The video above shows the commencement ceremony and a computer animation of the completed project.

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Budget Speech 2018 and investing offshore – insights from Investec

2018-03-22

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Investec’s panel of experts discuss whether or not there’ll be a big outflow to offshore investments now that prudential limits have been increased. Ronelle Hutchinson, Investec Wealth & Investment portfolio manager, believes that moving the prudential investment guidelines from 25% to 30% is a positive developments as it’s the optimal asset allocation that a South …

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Budget Speech 2018 and ratings agencies – insights from Investec

2018-03-22

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Has the Finance Minister done enough to avoid a downgrade? “I think the budget may, on balance, just be enough to avoid a Moody’s credit rating downgrade to sub-investment grade in this quarter,” says Annabel Bishop, Investec chief economist. She says if you see continued substantial borrowings AND you’re borrowing to pay off your debt …

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Budget Speech 2018 and bailouts for State-Owned Entities – insights from Investec

2018-03-22

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Investec’s panel of experts discuss the current certainties and uncertainties in the market. An assumption in the Budget is that they won’t need to fund any further bailouts for SOE’s but I’m not certain that’s achievable in the shorter-term,” says David Gracey, head of currency and derivatives trading at Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking. “That’s …

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Investec insights: Budget Speech 2018 – is this budget sustainable?

2018-03-22

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Investec’s panel of experts discuss the momentum leading into and coming out of the #Budget2018. “Unfortunately because of what’s happened over past 10 years, this budget looks backwards, not forwards; it’s trying to fix the ills of the past,” says David Gracey, , head of currency and derivatives trading at Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking. …

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Switzerland’s parliament rejects plan to cut health insurance discounts

2018-03-21

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2018-03-21

Woman
Switzerland has a system of compulsory health insurance. Residents must choose an insurer and pay. Those who don’t are automatically signed up and sent a bill. Other than shopping around, choosing a policy with an excess, a sum that must be covered out of your own pocket before the insurance kicks in, is one of the few ways to reduce your premium.

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Swiss voters could get to decide on Switzerland’s Winter Olympics bid

2018-03-20

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2018-03-20

In October 2017, when Switzerland’s Federal Council announced the government would stand behind Sion’s bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, it sparked a backlash. A survey run by Tamedia in February 2018 suggests 59% of the Swiss public are against the bid, according to RTS. The estimated cost to Swiss taxpayers is close to CHF 1 billion. Other costs, to be borne by the host canton Valais and other cantons, are expected on top of this federal...

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Geneva wants to limit Airbnb rentals to 60 days a year

2018-03-16

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2018-03-16

AirBnB
The canton wants the platform to place limits on its use to put the brakes on commercial operators. The 60 day limit was set by Geneva’s State Council. Antonio Hodgers, State councillor in charge of housing told Tribune de Genève that renting on the platform had become a real business for some and that this needs to be controlled.

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Is your business future fit?

2018-03-16

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Investec Cash Investments #BusinessMatters explores #digitaltransformation and what lies ahead for the SA economy. Speakers include: • Mike Schüssler, Economist, on what lies ahead for the South African economy post #BudgetSpeech • David Duarte, founder of marketing consultancy Treeshake, on how to apply digital trends and innovation to your business • Mike Perk, founder and …

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Switzerland – a definition of middle class

2018-03-14

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2018-03-14

Iakov Filimonov
A recent survey calculates 60.1% of Switzerland’s population was middle class in 2015, a figure that has remained broadly stable since 1998, reaching its highest in 2009 (61.3%) and lowest in 2013 (56.8%). But what is middle class in Switzerland? According to Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office, it is anyone living in a household with a gross income between 70% and 150% of the gross median income.

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How hot politics in the Balkans slowed the clock on your oven

2018-03-13

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2018-03-13

Oven Clock
Switzerland’s power grid is part of a large pool of ebbing and flowing electricity spanning 25 countries, known as the Continental European (EC) power grid. Enough electricity must be fed into it to keep it at a stable frequency. The EC’s magic number is 50 Hz. Maintaining this requires a carefully coordinated trans-national balancing act. When electricity consumption rises, power stations across the network must work harder.

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Swiss politicians with links to health sector can still fully participate in health commissions

2018-03-13

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2018-03-13

High-cost Healthcare
Lukas Reimann, a parliamentarian and member of the Swiss Peoples Party (UDC/SVP), fought to have parliamentarians paid by health companies partially excluded from government commissions dealing with health issues. He thinks vested interests are behind high health premiums and that cartels must be broken.

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Budget Speech 2018 and State-owned entities – insights from Investec

2018-03-07

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‘No-one mentions the P-word’ – Investec’s panel of experts discuss partial privatisation of SOEs. When your finances are in such a precarious state and you can’t borrow and can’t fund, you HAVE to sell off these assets,” says David Gracey, head of currency and derivatives trading at Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking. He says the …

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Investec insights: Budget Speech 2018 and path to fiscal consolidation

2018-03-07

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‘We’re not out of the woods’ – Investec’s panel of experts discuss the state’s missing billions. Looking to roll back government finances and consolidate them in the manner that Trevor Manuel did, is something we might have to go through in order to get ourselves back on a firm footing so we can move forward,” …

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Jobless in Switzerland after 55 – most end up longterm unemployed

2018-03-04

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2018-03-04

Age discrimination Switzerland
Age discrimination in the Swiss job market appears to be getting worse. Between 2010 and 2016, the number of over 55s on welfare increased by 50.5%, something that cannot be fully explained by an aging population. The population aged between 56 and 64 only increased by 11.6% over the same period.

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Investec partners with Startup School

2018-03-02

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Startup School is an initiative that is partnered by Investec to support and encourage the South African entrepreneurial ecosystem. It is a 12 week online entrepreneurial learning programme which contains interactive learning activities that will guide an entrepreneur from the ideation phase of their business through to the completion and investor presentation of a comprehensive …

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