Tag Archive: newsletter

Swiss Post Office appoints CEO to steer clear of controversy

2018-11-25

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2018-11-25

The Swiss Post Office has appointed a new chief executive to lead the state-owned company out of a troubled few months following a subsidies scandal that came to light earlier this year. Roberto Cirillo will take over at the helm next April, replacing interim boss Ulrich Hurni, the Swiss Post announced on Thursday. Hurni has been minding the fort since Susanne Ruoff was forced to quit as CEO in June.

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Switzerland’s electronic motorway vignette to be optional

2018-11-24

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2018-11-24

Swiss-vignette
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council decided the planned electronic motorway vignette will be optional. Drivers will be able to choose. Anyone wanting to drive on Switzerland’s motorway network must first buy a vignette, a road tax sticker introduced in 1985, which must be displayed on the windscreen. It currently costs CHF 40.

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Swiss Unemployment Benefits Cut for a one-day filing delay

2018-11-24

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2018-11-24

Swiss-unemployment-benefits
Switzerland’s unemployment benefits might be generous but they are strictly policed, as one recipient recently discovered. For a period of up to approximately two years after losing a job, most workers in Switzerland receive 70% of their former salary up to a maximum of CHF 88,200 a year – the amount paid varies depending on circumstances1.

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FX Daily, November 23: Friday

2018-11-23

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2018-11-23

The US dollar is firmer against most of the major currencies. Japanese and Indian markets were closed for holidays and a weaker than expected flash EMU PMI helped keep the euro pinned near this week's lows. Although the EU seemed to thrown UK's embattled May a lifeline with some compromise wording in a draft declaration, the challenge remains the same--Parliament's approval.

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Two-thirds of Swiss see artificial intelligence as job threat

2018-11-23

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2018-11-23

Only 34% of Swiss people believe their jobs are not at risk from automation and machine learning, according to a survey commissioned by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Almost half of the 2,092 people surveyed by the Link Institute for SBC felt that some of their daily tasks could be done by machines and algorithms, while 15% were convinced that robots could do much of their work.

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Construction Industry Production, Orders and Turnover Statistics: lncrease in construction production in Switzerland in 3rd quarter 2018

2018-11-22

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2018-11-22

Switzerland Industrial Orders, Q3 2018
Secondary sector production rose by 1.1% in 3rd quarter 2018 in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier. Turnover rose by 3.1%. In comparison with the previous year industrial production grew in July by 3.3%, in August by 1.7%, then fell in September (-0.4%). For the whole of the 3rd quarter 2018 production increased by 1.4% in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier.

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Cool Video: CNBC Squawk Box

2018-11-22

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2018-11-22

I was part of the "Trading Block" on CNBC earlier today. The sharp fall in stocks and oil would have led many, like Joe, to anticipate dollar weakness. Instead, the dollar rallied. Perhaps, I suggested, the dollar was acting like a safe haven. Bill yields are high enough to make cash a reasonable alternative to park one's savings.

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Skills Shortage on the Rise in Key Professions

2018-11-22

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2018-11-22

Switzerland’s talent shortage is more pronounced in 2018, a new survey has found. Technical, financial, and medical professions are most affected, while job seekers in the hospitality, retail, and administrative sectors face the greatest competition.

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Pound to Swiss Franc: CHF Strengthens Due to Events around the Globe

2018-11-21

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2018-11-21

Brexit continues to put pressure on sterling and we are still waiting to find out if a vote of no confidence is called. The Prime Minister is in Brussels today meeting with Jean Claude Juncker. if the media get wind of any developments this could influence the Pound to Swiss Franc (GBP/CHF) rate, but in general the Pound remains under pressure which is helping the Franc to strengthen.

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FX Daily, November 21: A Semblance of Stability Returns

2018-11-21

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2018-11-21

Yesterday's frenzy has burnt itself out for the moment. Equities began recovering in Asia after early losses. China, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand closed higher and European markets are recouping some of yesterday's decline. The Dow Jones Stoxx is trying to snap a five-day decline and is up a little more than 0.5% near midday.

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Taxes and insurance eat up almost 30percent of Swiss household income

2018-11-21

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2018-11-21

Swiss households spend an average of 29% on mandatory payments like taxes, social contributions and health insurance. Figures released by the Swiss Statistical Office on Monday reveal that, based on 2016 data, a Swiss household had an average income of CHF7,124 ($7,140), of which CHF2,910 was eaten up by unavoidable expenses.

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Does the Market Need a Heimlich Maneuver?

2018-11-21

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2018-11-21

Effective Federal Funds Rate 2010-2018
For all we know, the panic selling is Wall Street's way of forcing the Fed's hand: stop with the rates increases already or Mr. Market expires. Markets everywhere are gagging on something: they're sagging, crashing, imploding, blowing up, dropping and generally exhibiting signs of distress.

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Swiss Trade Balance October 2018: Record exports in October 2018

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

Swiss exports and imports, seasonally adjusted (in bn CHF), October 2018
In October 2018, seasonally adjusted exports grew 6.0%, after their slightly negative evolution since June. They thus reach a level monthly record. Conversely, the decline in imports continued (-1.8%). The balance commercial loop with a surplus of 2.6 billion francs.

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FX Daily, November 20: Equity Slide Continues

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

Yesterday's 3% drop in the NASDAQ is setting the tone for today. The US stock market advance had been led by a narrow group of equities, and those have come under strong pressure amid slower consumer demand and stricter export control. Asian equities were a sea of red today. Chinese markets led the sell-off with more than a 2% drop. In Europe, the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is for a fifth session. 

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Cheat Sheet

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

biking
The market always has taken the Fed's forecast for three rate hikes next year with a large dose of skepticism. The fed funds futures strip implies growing expectations that the Fed pauses after a hike in December and Q1 19. It is still unclear the direction of fiscal policy next year. It may be difficult for the Democrats to oppose making middle-class tax cuts permanent and an infrastructure initiative cannot be ruled out.

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The Intolerable Scourge of Fake Capitalism

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

Indexes, Nov 2017 - 2018
All is now bustle and hubbub in the late months of the year. This goes for the stock market too. If you recall, on September 22nd the S&P 500 hit an all-time high of 2,940. This was nearly 100 points above the prior high of 2,847, which was notched on January 26th. For a brief moment, it appeared the stock market had resumed its near decade long upward trend.

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Eurodollar Futures: Powell May Figure It Out Sooner, He Won’t Have Any Other Choice

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

Eurodollar Futures Curve, May - Sep 2018
For Janet Yellen, during her somewhat brief single term she never made the same kind of effort as Ben Bernanke had. Her immediate predecessor, Bernanke, wanted to make the Federal Reserve into what he saw as the 21st century central bank icon. Monetary policy wouldn’t operate on the basis of secrecy and ambiguity. Transparency became far more than a buzzword.

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Bankers are no longer Switzerland’s top earners

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

The pharmaceutical industry and insurance companies have overtaken banking as the best paid sectors in Switzerland, according to the NZZ am Sonntag. In 2016, bank executives took home an average gross salary of CHF220,000 ($220,394) per year, which is CHF 40,000 less than ten years ago.

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The Interesting Seasonal Trends of Precious Metals

2018-11-20

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2018-11-20

Prices in financial and commodity markets exhibit seasonal trends. We have for example shown you how stocks of pharmaceutical companies tend to rise in winter due to higher demand, or the end-of-year rally phenomenon (last issue), which can be observed almost every year. Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are subject to seasonal trends as well.

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The Ultimate Stablecoin, Report 18 Nov 2018

2018-11-19

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2018-11-19

Gold and Silver Price
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away we wrote a series of articles arguing that bitcoin is not money and is not sound. Bitcoin was skyrocketing at the time, as we wrote most of them between July 30 and Oct 1 last year. Back in those halcyon days, volatility was deemed to be a feature.

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