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.

Inside Out of the Ordinary Episode IV – Variety

“Variety is the spice of life.” John Wyn-Evans, Head of Investment Strategy for Investec Wealth & Investment UK talks about why a variety of life experiences and broad knowledge is key to investment success. Watch the full series here: https://invest.ec/38KAaYX #InsideOOTO

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Inside Out of the Ordinary Episode III – Balance

“I think balance is a critical thing to sustain and to grow as an individual host of things.” Ryan Friedman, Multi-Manager Investment Head, Investec Wealth & Investment SA, talks about how balance is an important part of the investment process. Watch the full series here: https://invest.ec/38JTx4h #InsideOOTO

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Inside Out of the Ordinary Episode II – Borderless

“If you grow up in a bubble, you think the bubble is reality and when you come out of that bubble, it is quite a shock.” Annelise Peers, Chief Investment Officer, Investec Bank Switzerland, talks about her global outlook on investments. Watch the full series here: https://invest.ec/32bHev9 #InsideOOTO

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Inside Out of the Ordinary Episode I – Process

“It is impossible to encompass the complexity of today’s world at any given moment, let alone to process it on an ongoing basis as an individual.” John Haynes, Chairman of the Investec Wealth & Investment’s Global Investment Strategy Group talks about the value of process in making investment decisions. Watch the full series here: https://invest.ec/32mj29P …

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The labels that show how much more international retailers charge Swiss

To simplify labelling, many international retailers put recommended retail prices (RRP) for multiple nations on the same label, like the one below. The Swiss retail price premium laid bare.Labels such as these show how much more Swiss customers are being charged compared to customers in other countries.

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New Swiss aid budget proposes more funds but for fewer countries

The Swiss government wants to set aside CHF11.25 billion ($11.43 billion) in development aid for the 2021-2024 period. The governing Federal Council adopted its Strategy for International Cooperation on Wednesday after opening it up for public consultation. It will still have to be approved by parliament.

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Tax on legal weed repealed

The Swiss Federal Court has ruled that cannabis – the legal, low-THC version – should not be subject to the tobacco tax. Responding to the complaints of three cannabis production companies, the court found that there was no legal basis for a 25% tobacco tax on the sales price of cannabis. The tax will be dropped immediately.

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Car emissions rising due to imported guzzlers, says report 

New cars imported into Switzerland have not been respecting the prescribed norms on CO2 emissions, with emission levels actually rising in 2017 and 2018, says a report published on Tuesday. Nearly half of importers failed to meet compulsory targets in 2018, according to the Federal Office of the Environment’s report for parliament. 

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Portugal set to end tax holidays for foreign residents

Recently, the government of Portugal said it was looking at introducing a tax on foreigners residing in the country on special tax holidays, according to the magazine Bilan. Currently, foreigners moving to Portugal who spend at least 180 days a year in the country pay no income tax for a period of 10 years under a scheme that was launched 11 years ago.

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Swiss private bank Pictet to drop fossil fuel investments

Recently, the private bank Pictet, based in Geneva, announced plans to eliminate all of its investments in companies actively associated with the production and extraction of fossil fuels, according to a press release.

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Swiss environmental agency sets no date for 5G launch

Earlier this week, Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) announced it had contacted the cantons at the end of January 2020, informing them it had not set a date for switching on 5G networks. However, mobile networks plan to continue installing 5G equipment after rolling out more than 2,000 antenna last year – a map showing where the new antenna are can be viewed here.

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Switzerland most expensive country in 2020

It will come as little surprise to many that Switzerland has been ranked the world’s most expensive country. Put together by the magazine CEO World, the ranking pulls cost of living data on accommodation, clothing, taxi fares, utilities, internet, groceries, transport, and dining out, from a number of other studies.

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Swiss worry about online data protection, want increased regulation

A survey on digitalisation released this week shows people’s greatest concern revolves around the fate of their personal data, though just as many believe new technologies hold great promise, especially in the areas of medicine, education and smart cities

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“ECB Is Worst-Run Central Bank In The World” – Felix Zulauf Sees 30percent Plunge In US Stocks “Taking The World With It”

Felix Zulauf was a member of the Barron’s Roundtable for about 30 years, until relinquishing his seat at our annual investment gathering in 2017. While his predictions were more right than wrong, it was the breadth of his knowledge and the depth of his analysis of global markets that won him devoted fans among his Roundtable peers, the crew at Barron’s, and beyond.

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Clariant to cut up to 600 jobs as profit falls

The Swiss specialty chemicals firm Clariant says it will cut up to 600 jobs to save money after a drop in profit in 2019. The firm expects the slow economic situation this year to continue to affect demand. “For 2020, given the current sluggish economic environment and continued adverse foreign exchange conditions, growth will be more limited and additional efficiency measures have been defined for each of the businesses to support the margin...

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Thiam ‘proud’ of his record as he departs Credit Suisse

Outgoing Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam said he was proud of what he has achieved at the bank as it delivered strong 2019 results and a promising start to this year. Thiam handed in his resignation last week after losing the confidence of the board following a spying scandal that had seriously damaged the bank’s reputation. Thursday was Thiam’s last day in office.

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Investigation opened into Swiss encryption firm linked to CIA

The Swiss government has opened an investigation into a decades-old spying affair involving Swiss firm Crypto, following reports by Swiss public broadcaster SRF, German broadcaster ZDF and The Washington Post. The government confirmed on Tuesday that it had opened an investigation into the reports that Crypto, a Zug-based communications encryption firm, was secretly used by the CIA and West German intelligence services for decades.

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Welfare payments in 2018 averaged CHF10,379 per person

Net expenditure on social assistance in Switzerland increased by 1.3% in 2018 compared with the previous year. The government, cantons and municipalities paid out a total of CHF8.4 billion ($8.6 billion). Each recipient of social assistance received an average of CHF10,379, the Federal Statistical Office said in a statement on Tuesday. This is an increase of 2.4% on 2017.

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Expectations vs Reality | Investec Careers

“This is not normal financial services” Find out what our staff say about working at Investec https://invest.ec/2Uy6bPS

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Investec Hackathon

Learn how rock-paper-scissors, Pac-Man and mobile treasure hunts can inspire cutting-edge solutions to business challenges. Learn more at https://invest.ec/385Mvqw

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