Category Archive: 3) Swiss Markets and News

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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.

Geldcast Update: Monetary policy and the climate crisis

For years, central banks have been called upon to do more to combat climate change. Now a new monetary policy instrument is being discussed as a way forward.

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Credit Suisse to shrink investment bank

The Credit Suisse Group says it will shrink its investment bank and shift more resources to the wealth management unit.

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Zermatt restaurant operators in prison after defying Covid rules

Over the weekend the owners of a family-run restaurant were taken into police custody for defiantly operating their restaurant in contravention of Switzerland’s Covid rules, reported 20 Minutes.

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Controversial crypto exchange hopes for warm Swiss welcome

Two months after paying a $100 million fine in the US for illegal trading operations, cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX is lining up a test for Switzerland’s financial regulator.

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COP26: rich Switzerland must take on more responsibility

Switzerland has enough money and technology to drastically reduce emissions and become a leader in international climate negotiations. But it needs to be more ambitious, says Ludwig Luz, president of the Swiss Youth for Climate group. 

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Covid: new cases up 30 percent this week in Switzerland

This week, 10,148 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Switzerland, up 30% from the 7,818 recorded the week before. On a 7-day moving average basis, the number of daily new cases was 1,450.

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Last authorised protest in Bern ahead of anti-Covid vote takes place peacefully

Last weekend, several thousand protestors assembled outside the Federal Palace in Bern to voice their opposition to Switzerland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, reported Tribune de Genève.

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Swiss government deficit for 2021 revised down

The latest forecast for 2021 shows a deficit of CHF 14.8 billion, down CHF 2.6 billion from an earlier forecast shortfall of CHF 17.4 billion. The deficit is driven mainly by the extraordinary cost of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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How Switzerland is trying to combat climate change

The climate strike wave that Greta Thunberg started also swept through Switzerland. While young people from all over the country participate in Fridays for Future events, dozens of start-ups are developing technologies to combat climate change. Part two of our explainer video looks into how the country goes about reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the green parties promising climate action made historic...

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The reality of climate change in Switzerland

In landlocked Switzerland temperatures are rising faster than in regions that benefit from the ocean's cooling effect. The first explainer video of our two-part series shows how climate change is affecting the Swiss landscape, the economy and its people. While global average temperatures are 0.85 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, Switzerland has seen an increase of two degrees over the same period. Since 1850, its glaciers have lost 60%...

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Swiss life expectancy drops sharply in 2020

Recently published figures show the largest fall in male life expectancy in Switzerland since 1944 and the largest since 1962 for women.

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Carbon offsetting explained in 2 minutes

Countries lower their carbon footprint and become climate neutral by limiting the amount of greenhouse gases they produce and by compensating the emissions that can't be cut. The carbon offsetting market has become increasingly attractive for countries, companies and individuals, who finance projects that will either suck CO2 out of the atmosphere, or reduce the CO2 release. This is done by buying carbon offsets. Carbon offsetting will be a...

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Swiss companies face severe supply chain bottlenecks

Four out of five firms surveyed by the Swiss Business Federation (economiesuisse) have complained of problems in getting hold of raw materials and essential parts for their goods.

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Mozambique watchdog wants $2 bln debt relief from ‘guilty’ Credit Suisse

A Mozambique public finance watchdog is demanding an estimated $2 billion (CHF1.8 billion) in full debt relief from Credit Suisse, that is ten times more than what Swiss banking giant is willing to write off.

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Switzerland remains top place for expats in 2021

Switzerland is the highest rated country in the latest HSBC expat ranking published this week, a position held for the last three years.

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What’s the real problem in our supply chains?

Containers are piling up at ports, ships are waiting to offload cargo and store shelves are sitting empty. Are all the quick fixes enough to fix the real problems in our supply chains?

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Swiss entities aim to be green pioneers

Some government departments and 13 other Swiss entities have signed a pact to increase energy efficiency, expand renewable energies and make their investments “climate compatible”.

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Thousands protest against Covid measures in Switzerland

Over the weekend, several thousand people took to Swiss streets to protest against Switzerland’s measures to reduce the impact of Covid-19, reported RTS.

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Swiss companies told to brace for electricity shortages

The Swiss government has shared its vision for coping with major power outages in a brochure shared with thousands of companies, the weekly NZZ am Sonntag reported on Sunday. In the absence of an electricity agreement with the European Union, such a scenario is likely if large power plants fail in Switzerland or abroad.

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Switzerland ‘not at risk of truck driver shortage’

Unlike other Western European nations, Switzerland is not at risk of a supply chain crisis due to a lack of truck drivers, according to the president of a major logistics and transport company.

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